No Turning Back
by ravenclawoutcast13
Summary: Seto Kaiba has done the unthinkable and committed the ultimate taboo... Now he is in a whole new world where alchemy rules supreme. What will transpire when he meet the legendary Elric brothers? Who will they meet? Who will they face? Only the Truth will know the secrets of these alchemist... I own nothing. Please Review! Rated T for language! BEING REWRITTEN!
1. He Gone UPDATE

**Chapter 1: He's Gone**

**SETO KAIBA**

* * *

"_Seto are you done working? I want to play with you."_

_***Water: 35 Liters**_

_"Go Seto! You're the greatest duelist ever!"_

_***Carbon: 20 kilograms**_

_"Can you teach me to duel like you? I want to be a duelist like my Big Brother."_

_***Saltpeter: 100 grams**_

_"I won Seto! I really did! Did you see? Did ya?!"_

_***Ammonia: 4 Liters**_

_"I don't feel good Seto... Can we go home...?"_

**_*Lime: 1.5 kilograms_**

_"I'm going to sleep now Seto... I'm too tired to keep awake anymore..."_

_***Phosphorus: 800 grams**_

_"It will be okay, Seto. You'll still have our friends even when I'm..."_

_***Salt: 250 grams**_

_"I love you Big Brother... Never forget that... Goodbye Seto..."_

_***And 15 various other trace elements...**_

* * *

Mokuba.

Why did you have to leave me alone again?

It was too soon for you to go.

I should have been there more...

I should have been a better brother to you...

This time around, I will spend all my time with you, no matter what.

I finshed placing all the indgedents in the center.

Magic doesn't exist, but alchemy is a science, one that just may do the impossible.

If this works I'll have him back with me and no one can take him away ever again.

Not Gozabouro...

Not Pegasus...

Not Marik...

Not Dartz...

Not Yugi...

Not even death itself will keep you away from me, Mokuba.

I looked back at the notes and took out a knife.

Months of pain staking reseach brought up the things I needed... I didn't care what so ever about the world outside my home...

I only cared about this... Seeing my brother's smiling face again... Feeling his warm hug in my arm...

Nothing else mattered.

For his genetic makeup of his DNA, it needed blood, more specificly mine.

I slit my hand open and placed it in the mixture, not caring to bind my hand, I was far too impatient to do so, considering I was so close.

The Human Transmutation circle was now complete and ready for me use to bring him back.

I pulled out my locket and looked at the picture of me and Mokuba from our days at the orphanage. Before I endured the Hells of Gozabouro, when we were happy...

I whispered, "You're coming back, Little Brother. We'll be a family again and we'll have those happy times once again. I promise you that."

I sat down at the foot of the circle on my knees and clapped my hands together.

I placed my hands down on the circle and it began to glow with an unearthly blue light.

I smiled and said, "It's working!"

Then it all went to Hell...

An eye opened in the center of the circle and thousands of black arms began dragging me into the center of the circle.

I closed my eyes and yelled out as they dragged me in, "MOKUBA!"

* * *

When I opened my eyes I found myself standing in front of an anceint door marked with ancient alchemic symbols, and the names of my parents and my name as well.

In front of the door sat a figure with no specific details other than a creepy smile, covered in a eerie black mist.

I yelled, "Who the hell are you? Where am I?"

He laughed and said, "Quite ignorant, aren't you Alchemist?"

He was calling me that? I have only done one transmutation...

"As for who I am...I am the world and the universe. I am one and I am all. I am a God, and I am the Truth, that also means I am also you. I am here to show you the Truth!"

The door cracked open from behind him and a large eye opened. More of the black shadow arms dragged me in closing the doors behind me.

As I flew inside the door I felt the knowledge enter my mind as my body deconstructed. All this information... It felt like my head was going to explode!

It was so painful that I finally yelled, "STOP!"

But it didn't, I just continued flying through...

I yelled and screamed begging the pain to end when I saw it...

The Truth of Human Transmutation...

My little brother in a featureless form reaching out for me...

He was almost in my grasp when the door closed and I stood in front of Truth once more.

He laughed and said, "So... How was it?"

"I know what I did wrong... I can fix it..."

I yelled at Truth, "Let me back in there! I can still get Mokuba back!"

He laughed and said, "You can't for you have already paid your price."

I looked at him and said with a hiss, "What price? You didn't say that before."

He grabbed my arm and it began to deslove on to him. I watched in horror as Truth wiggled my arm like his own as my shoulder burned in agony.

He smiled and said, "This is the equivalaint price for your sin. You tried to play God, now it's time you learn the truth of the matter."

He let go of my remaining arm and said with a laugh, "Goodbye Foolish Alchemist. We will meet again."

* * *

I woke up in the middle of a field writting with pain.

I groaned and said, "Ah... What the Hell...? Where's my house?! What the Hell hap..."

I went to sit up and saw what had happened and why I was in so much pain...

"It was real..."

"It really happend..." I whispered.

I looked and saw my arm was completely gone straight up to my shoulder blade.

Only a bloody stub remained of my former shoulder, dripping my life blood into a small pool on the ground...

God... What have I done..?!

A teenage girl walked by, took one look at me and said, "Oh my god! Are you alright?"

She dashed over to me and began examining me.

She had long blonde hair in a high hanging ponytail, and bright blue eyes that stared right at me.

"Hey are you alright?! Respond dammit!"

I could only reply with my blank stare and a hoarse whisper, "It's gone...It's really gone..."

The girl looked at what remained of my arm and said, "You need medical attention... Now!"

She got under my remaining arm and helped me up to the best of her abilities.

We walked up to a house leaving a blood trail behind us, and the girl yelled, "Grandma! We need help! Grab the first aid kit ASAP!"

An old woman walked out with the box in hand and said, "My good lord! Get him to the work shop!"

How are these people so causal about me missing an arm?!

How this girl was talking... Maybe she's a doctor...

Heh. What are the odds of a doctor finding me...

We walked into a shop with bed in it, medical equipemt, and a bunch of metal everywhere, along with that was water bottles and a lot of bandages.

What kind of work shop is this...?

I thought she might be a doctor but all these machine parts...

A doctor who has a side job as a mechanic? Not really practical...

She sat me down on the bed, pulling out pair of scissors, and asked, "What's you name?"

I whispered out through the pain, "Seto Kaiba."

She smiled and said, "I'm Winry. Winry Rockbell."

She took off the remainer of my sleeve and examine the wound, still bright red with fresh blood.

My arm was gone with a clean cut... Almost like a blade slid right through it...

She looked at me and asked, "How did this happen to you?"

The question I was avoiding...

I let my brother die a second time... and I lost my arm for it...

That's what happened but...

I stayed quite for a while and said, "It's too tramatic to talk about right now."

She nodded and said, "I understand. Alright Mr. Kaiba you'll need to sit still. I'm going to patch you up the best I can."

For next couple of hours she began sticthing, wrapping, and cleaning out the horendus wound that remained of my arm.

She eventaully had to take my shirt off, due to the collection of blood gathered on it, revealing the painful wound to my eyes.

Nothing but raw flesh was visible and it was making me sick...

Soon she was finshed, and I was in a Hell like pain. It hurt so much I couldn't even sit up, without getting nauseous.

Winry nodded towards me and said, "Luckly you aren't bleeding bad. The wound has most of your nerves exposed right now..."

She went to some drawers and pulled out... A metal arm.

Okay what the hell does this chick do?!

I stared in awe and asked, "What is that?"

She tilted her head and said, "Strange, most people seen automail before."

I looked up and said, "I'm not from around here."

She smiled and said, "I kind of noticed that. Most people don't wear that around here."

I looked up and asked her, "Where is here?"

She responed, "This is the town of Resmbool. The country is Amestris."

I sighed and said, "I'm definatily no where near home."

She looked at me and asked, "Where's your home?"

"Domino City, Japan."

She placed the arm next to me and said, "Domino? I never heard of it."

She placed the metal arm next to my exposed nerves making my warm arm writhe at the feeling of the cold metal against my skin.

I looked at the metal arm and asked, "What are you doing? That really stings"

Winry smiled and said, "Sorry, I'm just fitting you for automail, if you want it, considering you are short an arm."

A prosthetic...

So that what this stuff is all about. She makes and installs replacement limbs.

Then it hit me...

I just lost my arm a couple hours ago an I'm being fitting for a prostetic...

Damn... Life just loves to fuck with me...

I looked at it and said, "What does it do?"

She went to the end where the nub would go and pressed on a few points.

To my amazement the fingers moved as she pressed the points, like an actual hand.

She smiled and said, "Automail is attached to your exposed nerves which allows you to move it like it was you real hand. I usually would wait for you to heal, but your nerves are in perfect condition for the surgery."

I looked at it and said, "That's incredible."

She pulled up the arm near me and said, "Perfect match."

"I had a client who had me make this but ended up bailing out on me about a month ago. He was around your size and had his arm off a nearly the same point. So Mr. Kaiba do you want the arm?"

I looked down and said, "Well I can't take..."

"To pay it off, we'll have you do some housework and cleaning... It's Equivalent Exchange."

In order to gain... Something must be given...

Something I learned ever since I was little.

Everyone wants something, so you give something up in return.

It was fair although some people are more kind with their exchanges.

I nodded softly and said, "Thank you Winry."

She smiled weakly and said, "This is going to be pretty painful, especailly after you lost your arm, and you won't be able to properly use it for about 2 months."

I looked up at the ceiling and said, "Well no pain, no gain."

She smirked and said, "I wish Ed would have the same adatude when he get's his automail fixed."

I looked at her as she began working on my soon to be metal arm and asked, "Who's this Ed guy?"

She gave a small laugh and said, "Edward Elric, The Fullmetal Alchemist. Him and his younger brother, Alphonse are close family friends of mine. If Ed breaks his automail any time soon, you'll get to meet him."

She took out a pair of plyers and said, "Here comes the first nerve."

I smirked and said, "It can be that...BAAAAAD!"

"OH MY GOD! THIS HURTS SO FREAKIN' BAD!"

She smiled and said, "Just like Ed. And that's only the first one, we still have the rest of the nerves to go."


	2. The Ultimate Taboo UPDATE

**Chapter 2: The Ultimate Taboo**

**YUGI MOTOU**

* * *

"We should check on him." I said as we approached Kaiba's mansion.

Joey looked up and said, "I hate to admit it, but your right. He shouldn't be left alone after what happened..."

We all looked down a bit at the thought.

It has been nearly half a year since Mokuba died... Him getting sick like that, no one expected it... Not even Kaiba...

One day he was perfectly fine, partipating in his first duel monster tournament... Then next thing I knew... He was collapsed to the ground coughing up blood...

He had an auto immune diease... His body was attacking itself...

The doctors told him that it was too far advanced to stop it... He had two weeks left to live...

After that Kaiba went bazerk trying to save his little brother but in the end...

He watched him fall into his ever lasting sleep in his arms...

His 12 year old little brother died in his grasp and he could do nothing about it...

He was a wreck after that... And when the fuenral came around which it poured down in rain, I saw a different side of Kaiba completely...

Intead of the cold hearted CEO, who always looked like he wasn't effected by anything... He looked defeated... His hair was a untamed mess, his clothes partially wrinkled, his skin seemed two tone lighter than before...

Then there was his eyes... To many those eyes had intimated many with just a single glare, of the icy orbs but now... They were hazed over as for the first time in my life... I saw Kaiba cry...

He didn't speak, he didn't move... He just stood there as they buried the only family he had left in the gardens behind their manor... Just like Mokuba wanted...

Every so often we go check on Kaiba and see if he's all right... But all he's done was stay confined in his study barely taking care of himself...

Last time I saw him he seemed a bit happier than before... He still hadn't cut his hair or left his study, but it was a sign of him progressing...

Téa nodded and said, "He has barely done anything since Mokuba past on. He hasn't dueled, worked, or even went to school."

I looked at her and said, "And who could blame him? He lost the only remaining family member he had left..."

Joey shook his head, "Poor kid didn't need to die like that... Kaiba lost his little brother and no matter what he did, he couldn't save him. If that was Serenity, I could imagine the pain he was going through..."

We opened the front gate and walked up to the front door.

Kaiba's manor had gone down hill as well since he fired all the servents and groundkeepers... The only thing that stay maintained was Mokuba's grave in the back... If Kaiba wasn't in his study his would be there...

I knocked on the door and it slowly creaked open...

Odd? Why would Kaiba leave his front door unlocked?

We walked inside and Joey yelled, "Kaiba, where are you? Your front door was open."

But no reply other than the echos of Joey's voice.

I sighed and said, "Then let's head to the study, he bound to be there..."

We then walked down the hall towards his study's doors.

The doors had three blue eyes carved on it and for some strange reason, a rough carving of a cross with wing and a crown as a snake wrapped around it. The new carving looked newer and more scratchy.

Did Kaiba carve it?

'Flammel's cross? That's an alchemic symbol... Why would Kaiba carve that?' Yami asked telepathicly.

I shrugged and replied, 'I'm not sure Yami... But what's alchemy...?'

But just as he was about to tell me, a foul stench hit me and the others.

It smelled like rotten meat from the back of frigide... Putrid and foul stench with the mixture of amonia and copper scents too... To put it planely, it smell horrible...!

Tristen coughed trying to get the smell out of his lungs and said, "What the Hell is that horrible smell?"

I looked at the doors and said, "It's coming from in there..."

I opened the doors with both hands letting light into the dark room...

Téa screamed out, "Oh my god!"

"What the Hell is that?!" Joey yelled.

Tristen gripped his stomach and said, "I think... I'm going to be sick..."

Inside the room was large black drawing of an elegant manor, that had symbols and writting in some other laungauge. Within the circle laid some sort of human like creature in the center.

It was around the size of a child, with black skin, messy hair, and deformed limbs... It had a third arm growing from it's ribs, it's eyes were dull and had no pupils... Part of it's ribs stuck out of it's chest and it mouth hung wide open with large amounts of blood dried around it's mouth...

What ever it was, it was completely dead and lying in a pool of it's own blood... And by the looks and smell it's been dead for a long while...

What the Hell is this thing doing in Kaiba's study and where's Kaiba?!

The room was covered in strange drawing and books all about something called alchemy... Like what Yami metioned before...

Joey looked at the stuff and asked, "What the Hell happend here? More importaintly... What the Hell is that thing?!"

Yami took control and saw what lied before us with eyes widen with horror.

"No... No way he did it..."

Yami seem to have a notion of what happened here... But what exactly went on here?!

Téa looked at me with conserned eyes and asked, "Yugi or Yami?"

Yami replied still horror stricken, "It's Yami..."

I saw a black notebook lying next to the outer edge circle as did Yami.

He picked it up and turned to the page which was marked. He looked at it and began reading it aloud, "Water: 35 Liters, carbon: 20 kilograms, ammonia: 4 Liters, lime: 1.5 kilograms, phosphorus: 800 grams, salt: 250 grams, saltpeter: 100 grams, and 15 various other trace elements..."

Joey looked at him and asked, "What is that?"

Yami closed the book said, "It's what a human being is made up of... Everything up to the eyelashes. Basicly a chemical design for a human."

Yami looked back down at the circle with the creature and said quietly, "And it confirms what I think happend here."

They looked up at him in suprise and Joey asked, "Yami you know what the Hell this thing is?!"

Yami nodded and said, "Yes... Joey I know what this is but you need to hear this part first. Alchemy is a science used long ago but was long abandoned for modern scinece. The basic ideal is you can deconstruct something and turn it into something new with accordance of the laws of Equivilant Exchange."

He sighed and said with a deep breath, "There is only one taboo in this art form... An alchemist one and only unforgivable sin... Human Transmutation."

Tristen looked up at him and asked, "And that is?"

Yami whispered, "Trying to bring back the dead using alchemy."

They all went quite staring in complete horror.

Yami continued by saying, "Basicly they use a circle and all the ingredients to create a new human body for the dead... Then the mixture of their blood pulls the soul back in... But..."

He looked at the creature once agian... Wait... If it was bring back the dead, then this was suppose to be...

Mokuba...

Oh God, this is Mokuba!

Yami clenched his fist and said, "There has never been a sucsesfull Human Transmutation ever recorded... They all end up like this... The formula being incorrect and bring the soul back into an already dying body... Killing them for a second time..."

Téa cried out, "That's horrible... And that means Kaiba..."

"Kaiba tried to play God, and bring back Mokuba. He tried to bring back his little brother and it backfired on him. Now Kabia is trapped on the other side of Gate... Paying for his sins." Yami said grimmly.

I looked down and Yami said, "Since he failed his creation did not live and looked nothing like Mokuba. He also had to pay a price of some kind. More than likely a it would leave him gravly injured. But all the same... This creature... Is suppose to be Mokuba..."

Tristen ran out holding his mouth. He immediatly threw up in the hallway.

I couldn't blame him, this stuff is making me feel sick too...

Poor Mokuba... He had to endure death twice...

And Kaiba... He had to watch him die twice... And the second time because of him...

Joey looked down and said, "Kaiba must have been exteremly desprate to try anything like this. I mean this is magic!"

Yami nodded and said, "Loss will do that to you. He felt that his time with his brother was cut short and he felt that he need more time with him. But you are wrong about this being magic Joey... Alchemy is an ancient science... One that was long forgotten... Kaiba must have discovered it in his grief..."

Téa looked at me and said, "You metioned a Gate earlier... What is it?"

Yami nodded and said, "Kaiba is in a totally different world right now, paying the price for his sin and learning what he did wrong. The Gate itself is legend... From what I was informed of, it holds the truth... That's all I know of it..."

Yami sighed and said, "If we can desciper his notes maybe we can help him find his way back home... And perhaps help with what ever has been claimed from him."

Joey and Téa nodded and began helping me picking up the books and notes, carefully avioding the circle and it's creation.

I looked back in Kaiba's notebook and flipped to the first page, which Yami began reading it aloud once again, "Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is Alchemy's first law of Equivalent Exchange."

Téa looked at me and asked, "Who wrote that?"

I switched back and I said, "Kaiba did... He wrote this entire jornual on his own alchemical theories but most of it is encrypted like a duel stratigy book."

Téa looked back down at the creature and said, "Guys we should take the notes and go. We need to leave this place be... "

I nodded and picked up some more books. Joey grabbed some notes and books as well, and Téa grabbed the key to the doorway.

We all walked out of that room and Téa locked the door behind us, leaving the creature behind.

Tristen was sitting on the stairwell holding his stomach in pain.

Téa looked at him and said, "We going now Tristen. Grab some of the books from Yugi and let's get out of here."

Tristen stood up and said with a tremble, "That thing... It didn't even look human..."

I looked at them and said quietly, "That's why it's taboo... You can never give enough to equal the equivilant of a human soul..."


	3. Never Forget UPDATE

**Chapter 3: Never Forget**

**EDWARD ELRIC**

* * *

"Winry is going to be mad at you Brother."

I growled out and said, "Well I couldn't help the fact my arm got tore apart by a chimera."

True, I could have been more carefull but the damn thing was trying to kill me... At least it didn't do too bad of damage...

I had to put it in a sling though... She's going to be pissed...

As we approached the Rockbell house when I saw someone new sweeping the front porch.

It was a young man nearly 6 feet tall with long dark brown hair pulled back in a long braid and dark blue eyes. His right arm was made completely out of automail. Even the shoulder was made up of the shiny metal.

Winry walked out of her workshop and said to the stranger, "Okay Seto, we can run the final diagnostic on your arm today and then you will be no longer be in remission."

The man stopped sweeping and said, "Thanks Winry..."

I yelled from atop the hill, "Hey Winry! We're back!"

She looked over at me and Al with a smile and saw my automail arm was in a sling. And soon enough a wrench came flying through the air and hit me in the head sending me to the ground.

She yelled at me anrgerly, "HOW DARE YOU BREAK MY PRESIOUS AUTOMAIL, EDWARD ELRIC! DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD I WORKED ON THAT?!"

I yelled back while rubbing my head, "OW! I DIDN'T MEAN TO BREAK IT WINRY!"

Al sighed and said, "Oh brother, you shouldn't yell at her or she will never fix your arm."

We walked up closer to the house and the young man looked at us with curiosity as we walked up.

Winry smiled and said, "Ed and Al, I'd like you to meet our new tenant, Seto Kaiba. He's been here about two months, working for us to pay for his automail."

He walked over, waved his hand, and said, "Hello, pleasure to meet you."

Winry looked at him and said while waving towards us, "Seto this is Edward and Alphose Elric. The two family friends I told you about."

I put out my hand and said, "Nice to meet you Seto."

He extended his automail arm and shook mine. He smirked and said, "Please just call me Kaiba. Most everyone does."

Al stepped forward and said, "It's very nice to meet you Mr. Kaiba. I'm Al, Ed's younger brother."

He looked at me and said with a brow raised, "So the shrimp is the older brother?"

I yelled, "WHO YOU CALLIN' SO SMALL THEY NEED A MICROSCOPE TO SEE YOU JERK?!"

Kaiba back up and said with a slight glare, "I didn't say that."

I crossed my arms and grumbled, "I'm freakin' State Alchemist and people still confuse me for a freakin' kid."

Kaiba looked down at the mention of me being an alchemist. He just walked away without saying a word with a sad look on his face. He walked down the path until he was out completely of sight.

"Seto come back!" Winry yelled slighty chasing after him but he was already out of hearing range.

I looked at her withconfusion and asked, "Does he do that often?"

Winry sighed and said, "Only if you mention alchemy. One day he just didn't leave his room and no one mentioned anything, he just sat in there looking at his locket and crying out a name... Someone called Mokuba... When I asked who that was, he said it was someone importaint him.."

I looked up at Winry and asked quietly, "How did he lose his arm?"

She shrugged and said, "He said, it was too traumatic for him to talk about, so I never asked."

I nodded and said with a sigh, "Well, that confirms it."

Al looked at me and said, "He did it. Didn't he?"

I nodded and said, "We are all in the same boat and he's having a hard time dealing with it... Like I did..."

Winry raised a brow and said, "Ed what do you mean...?"

"He's a sinner like us Winry..." I said quietly as her eyes widen with the relization of what he did...

"He commited the taboo..." Al whispered out.

I looked at Winry and said, "We'll go talk to him. When we get back I'll have you look at my arm."

She nodded and said quietly, "Alright Ed."

With that we began walking down the path he ran down, to see a fellow sinner.

* * *

We found him sitting under a tree looking into a old locket that hung around his neck.

Tears streamed down his face as he said, "Mokuba...What did I do wrong?!"

"You didn't." I said as we stepped up.

He head jerked around and he looked at Me and Al with a look of pain and loss plaster to his face.

I looked at him and asked quietly, "Who did you lose Kaiba?"

He remained silent, still looking at us dead on.

"Maybe I should rephase that."

I paused and said, "Who did you try to bring back?"

His head jerked up, his eyes widen, and he asked, "How did..."

Al responed quietly, "We did it too Kaiba... We know what happends when you break the taboo... You saw the Truth..."

I looked at him and then asked, "So who was it? Who did you love enough to try to bring back with Human Transmutation?"

He took off his locket and tossed it to me with out looking up. I opened it up and inside was a picture of a younger version of Kaiba and a litte boy with long black hair playing chess. They looked really happy in that picture.

He whispered out between the tears, "My little brother... I tried to bring him back and failed... He died twice because of me..."

I looked at him as we sat down and said, "We know how it feels..."

I gave him the locket back and said, "We tried to bring back our Mother after she died. I loss my leg and Al..."

Al took off his helmet and showed it to Kaiba. He looked inside seeing no one was inside, and seen the seal drawn in blood.

Kaiba said softly, "He lost his entire body..."

I nodded and said, "I gave up my arm to seal his soul to the armor and ever since we been looking for a way to get our bodies back. This was our equivilant exchange for our sin... This was the price for our arrogance to play God..."

He sighed and said, "Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is Alchemy's first law of Equivalent Exchange. Why didn't I think of that when I tried it?"

I smiled sadly and said quietly, "You wanted to see him so bad, you didn't think of the consequences. Same as us... We just wanted to see our Mother smile... One last time..."

He looked down and said, "I just want to go home now... Not Amestris, Xing, or Creta. But my actual home."

I looked at him and asked, "The Gate spat you out here, but you don't belong in this world right?"

He nodded in agreement and said, "My home is far more advanced... Although, it's not as peacefull as this..."

"Well since you know alchemy and you need help getting home. Why don't you join me in the State Alchemist? They're holding the test in 2 weeks." I said with a slight smile.

He looked back down and said, "I learned a lot from that one creepy guy but it doesn't feel right doing alchemy after..."

I nodded and said, "Truth's a real bastard and messes with your head. It still gives me nightmares from time to time, but if we work together on this will kick his smug ass and get our bodies back and get you home."

He gave a small laugh and said, "I'll give it a shot but I'm still pretty new to it."

I smirked and said, "You know the stuff you learned from that bastard, allows you to trasnmute without a circle."

Kaiba nodded and clapped his hands together. He pressed them to the ground and sparks flew up. A small statue of a dragon appeared in a shiny blue metal.

I jumped up and said, "Good. Now let's get back before Winry throws another wrench at my head."

He pulled up a lock of his hair showing a small scar and said, "At least your not alone. She did it to me too, after I helped with the fire wood and lost a few springs in my joints."

Al shook his head and said, "Winry has it out for anyone who breaks her automail."

I gave a nervous laugh and said, "Well then, we should probably get moving then."


	4. A Dog of The Military UPDATE

**Chapter 4: A Dog of The Military**

**SETO KAIBA**

* * *

"I think we're over dressed for this, Ed... I mean this is just a test right?" I said as we pulled up to the train station.

He shook his head and said, "No, you're going to be tested in front of Furhur King Bradley himself. So I think we're dress up just enough."

"A king?! I didn't know I be tested in front of a king! Dammit Ed, couldn't you tell me this before?!"

Now I think we dress up enough.

Ed wore his black outfit with his red overcoat and white gloves.

I wore a black and white outfit, with a long blue trench coat that flared out at the bottom, and a pair white gloves.

On the back of both our jacket's was Ed's flamel. It seemed appropriate since Ed basically taught me how my alchemy works in more depth.

Ed smirked and said, "Relax, I passed this test when I was 12. Youngest alchemist to ever past it."

Then that brought up a question. I then asked him, "How old are you now Ed?"

A vein appeared on his head and he said, "16...SO THERE!"

I smiled and said, "I figured that... You wouldn't react about your height so much since you're that old... I actucally know someone who's about your age and he's shorter than you."

Ed's eyes popped a bit and said, "Really?! So I'm taller than someone!"

The train came to a stop. We walked off the train car and I followed Ed and Al through the crowd of people.

A man with black hair and in a blue military uniform stepped towards Ed and said, "Fullmetal you were suppose to be back three days ago. Why the hell were you so late?!"

Ed looked at him and said, "Relax Mustang, Winry had to fix my arm and do it's yearly reconfiguration."

He looked at me and asked, "Who's you friend Fullmetal?"

Ed smirked and said, "This is Seto Kaiba, he going to the State Alchemist exams today."

The man stepped forward and said, "I'm Colonel Roy Mustang, The Flame Alchemist. I wish you the best of luck on the exam."

He shook my hand, gave a smirk, and said, "Use your automail to your advantage Mr. Kaiba, it will get their attention."

I looked at him completely surprised by what he said. I then asked, "How did you..."

He shrugged his shoulders and said, "Ed has the same grip when shaking hands. Tell Winry she did a good job."

We all got in the taxi car and began our ride to Central Command.

* * *

"Next applicant, Seto Kaiba."

I stood up from my chair and walked to the center of the room. There was a man sitting on a throne who I presumed to be Furhur King Bradley.

The man next to him, who wore a pair of thick glasses, looked at me and said, "You may begin transmuting when ready. Do you need anything to draw with or any sort of gloves?"

I shook my head and said, "No, but thank you anyways."

I clapped my hands together and placed them on the ground. I began to transmute a long silver sword out of the ground.

I heard from the booths, "He's transmuting without a circle!"

Another one said, "He must be a prodigy!"

As soon as I finshed I tossed the sword into the air and then transmuted my automail arm into a kriss blade* coming from the top of my wrist.

I sliced right though the long sword before it hit the ground. When it did finally touch the sword spilt in two down the center. It was completely divided in half.

The group of men remained silent after that, staring in awe.

The glasses man looked at me and said, "I was going to ask if you had any automail, but that question has already been answered. Thank you for your time Mr. Kaiba. Your results will be sent to you."

I transmuted my arm back to normal and said, "Thank you Sir."

I walked out of the room and closed the door. Ed and Al were waiting for me.

Ed looked at me and asked, "How it go?"

I shrugged and said, "I shut up all the old guys, when I did the silver sword routine."

Ed smirked and said, "That's an almost guarantee that you'll get excepted."

I looked at Ed and asked, "Do have an extra glove?"

He looked down at my hand and said, "Yeah, I've got an extra ones. It comes in handy when you tear them up nearly every time you fight."

He hand me one and said with a smile, "Let's go to the hotel, I'm tired from just being here."

* * *

**2 WEEKS LATER**

* * *

A knock came at the door and I opened the door to reveal Colonel Mustang was standing there.

Ed looked at the door and yelled, "What the Hell do you want Mustang?!"

He looked at Ed and said, "I'm not here for you Fullmetal. I'm here to give Mr. Kaiba his results."

He pulled out a wooden box and gave it to me. He held up a letter and said, "By order of Furher King Bradley I give you the rank of a Major, and you silver pocket watch. From this day forward you will be known as The Silver Sword Alchemist."

He extend his hand and said, "Congratulations, you're a State Alchemist."

Ed jumped up from his chair and said, "Way to go Kaiba!"

Mustang smirked and said, "I'll be your commanding officer Silver Sword, and Fullmetal will act as your partner. You also have access to the alchemist private libraries and will receive you own research funds from the military."

I smiled and said, "Thank you Sir."

Mustang nodded and said, "You and Fullmetal will report in tomorrow morning for your first mission to Loire."

Ed groaned and said, "Really Colonel Bastard, you couldn't wait to put him in action?"

Mustang snapped his fingers and a bit of Ed's jacket caught on fire.

Ed yelled as he put out the fire, "YOUR GOING TO PAY FOR THAT MUSTANG!"

The Colonel laughed and said, "There is no rest for the dogs of the military. See you in the morning Silver Sword."

He walked out and closed the door behind him.

I opened the box and picked up the silver pocket watch. It showed on the front the Amestrian flag symbol.

I opened it up and looked at the clock and saw the untouched metal, like Ed's which had a date carved into it...

Ed looked over at me and said, "Just like mine."

He held his up and showed it to me. I then asked, "Why do we get watches?"

Ed held his in the palm of his hand and said, "It's the badge of a State Alchemist. Kind of proves you identity."

Al walked in from the back room and asked, "What's going on? I was reading and I heard Ed yelling at the Colonel."

I held up my watch and said, "I passed the test."

Al jumped up and said, "Really that's amazing Seto...I mean..."

I put my hand up and said, "It's alright Al. You can call me Seto, you too Ed. You two have kind of been like brothers to me..."

I put the watch in my pocket and pulled out my locket. I looked at the photo and said, "I only wish he had been here to see this..."

Ed stepped up and said, "He would have been proud, no matter what happened."

I gave a small smile and put my locket up. I looked at Ed and said, "Thanks Ed, for everything."

Ed grinned big and said, "You're welcome. Now let's go to the roof and do some sparing before tomorrow. Let's see how good you can transmute under pressure."

I smirked and said, "Your on."

* * *

_(A/N: A Kriss Blade is sword that curves like a snake. It's really cool!)_


	5. Equivalent Exchange UPDATE

**Chapter 5: Equivalent Exchange**

**YUGI MOTOU**

* * *

"Okay we learned from Kaiba's journal, books, and notes, that humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is Alchemy's first law of Equivalent Exchange." I said as we reviewed the notes from Kaiba's reseach.

It had been one month since Kaiba was taken by the Gate. Since we found out, we been researching non-stop to find a way to bring him back home, or at least bring us to him.

Today we were going over our notes and manuscipts so that we could discuss the best way to resuce him.

"So in order for him to travel through the Gate he had to give something up, most likely a limb, or some of his insides. So in order to travel through the Gate to get Kaiba, we need to pay with something, without losing our bodies in the process." Tea said reading off our own personal notes that we've taken.

Joey nodded and said, "One the books I read from Kaiba's library, talked about this thing called a Philosopher's Stone which allowed them to bypass equivalent exchange. We could use that."

Tristen sat up and said, "But none of the books tell were to find one or make one. So that's out."

Yami floated next to me and said, "_Maybe I have a solution. You can pay with remains of the pyramid of light. It's filled with dark power which needs to be dispersed_."

I smiled at him and said, "That's great idea Yami!"

Tristen looked at me and said, "The rest of us can't see Yami, so do mind telling us what idea was so brilliant?"

I got up and grabbed the old box where we kept the remains of the pyramid of light and explained Yami's idea to the rest of my friends.

Téa nodded and said, "Yeah that just might work. It's powerful enough to pay the toll for the Gate."

I stood up and said, "So it's agreed? We use the pyramid of light as payment."

They all nod in agreement.

I picked up Kaiba's journal and said, "Then let's do get started."

* * *

_(A/N: I know the Pyramid of Light was destroyed in the movie, but it didn't in my story. So there, don't make a big deal about it.)_

* * *

"Alright... As much as it disturbs me... It's all drawn out." Téa said softly.

I looked down to see the circle in front of us. It had circles and lines that intricately overlapped. It was quite beautiful for what it was... But we need to do this to safe Kaiba...

I walked over and picked up the box. I opened it and handed everyone a piece of the broken blue pyramid.

They each put their pieces in their pockets. We all sat down on the ground. I looked up and said, "Is everyone ready?"

They all nodded and looked to the transmutation circle sitting at our feet.

Joey yelled out, "We coming to get you, Kaiba!"

We all clapped our hands and placed them on the transmutation circle. Lighting came out of our hands and the circle lit up an eerie blue.

Tristen looked at me with a small smile and said, "It doesn't look that bad."

All of a sudden a eye opened in the center and black smoke filled the room.

Tristen yelled, "I stand corrected! That thing is freaky!"

Black arms came out of the circle and grabbed on to us. I felt it dragging us into the center and saw me and my friends begin to break apart screaming in agony.

I closed my eyes for a moment and screamed, "HELP!"

* * *

When I opened them, Yami and I stood before the Gate with the ominous creature known as Truth sitting in front of it with his black face other than his all too creepy smile.

He smiled and said, "Welcome Alchemists you wish to use the Gate for passage and knowledge. Yes?"

Yami and I nodded in conformation.

He laughed and said, "Bring forth your payment Alchemists."

I picked up the pyramid piece and set it before him and soon it disolved into nothing.

He smirked and said, "This is enough for one of you, but the other must pay the price for their sin."

Truth grabbed Yami's arm and said, "You live within his puzzle and his mind in your world, but in the world your going to you will be a separate being. So I take payment from that..."

Yami's leg began to dissolve away and in appeared on to Truth with him screaming in pain.

Truth smirked and said, "I took away your leg from you as your payment. Enjoy your trip though Alchemists."

The door opened and a eye opened up, sending a chill within my blood.

"You have dared to knock on the door... Now the door is open..."

We were both dragged in by more black arms screamining and trying to get away.

"Quiet, foolish Alchemists. This is what you wanted, isn't it? I will show you... the Truth!"

Then everything went dark.

* * *

"Yugi wake up!"

I slowly opened my eyes. I saw Yami was sitting above me shaking my shoulders.

But he's not in a ghostly form that I was use to. He was solid and I felt him shake my shoulders, which means...

I sat up and said, "Yami? You have a body!"

He nodded and said, "The others are still out cold..."

Yami face filled with pain. He and I looked down at his left leg...

Which was now completely gone from the hip down and drizzling in a pool of blood.

I said in a shaky voice, "I'm so sorry Yami, I should have brought more and..."

He interrupted me and said, "It's not your fault Yugi, I didn't know either we were counted separate..."

The others began to stir from their sleep. Téa sat up first and asked with a drowsy voice, "Did we make it?"

I replied, "Yes, but turns out I should have brought more pieces."

Téa looked at Yami and said, "You have your own bo..."

"Oh my god..." She whispered in horror.

I pulled up his pant leg and began to tie off his leg. Yami sighed and said, "This isn't going to be pleasant, is it?"

I shook my head and said, "No I'm afraid not."

When I finished the blood had already soaked into his make shift bandage. Yami face wrenched with pain and he said, "I've never felt this much pain before..."

I replied, "Well you weren't missing a leg before so it's understandable."

When Joey and Tristen woke up they shared the same reaction as Téa, complete and utter shock.

I looked around to see that we were in the middle of the woods on a road somewhere. I heard loud noise coming this way. It sounded like an animal.

Téa got up and said, "I think we need to move!"

Tristen nodded, picked up Yami in his arms, and we all ran to the side of the road.

A creature came running down and roaring at us. It looked like a lion with snakes for a tail, and talons for paws. It smelled the blood from Yami's leg, and made it's way slowly toward us.

Something told me this thing wasn't a vegetarian.

It had us cornered, when all of a sudden, a spark of lighting came from below it, and pillar came out of the ground launching it into the air.

A boy with a red cloak and long blonde braided hair now stood before us and he yelled, "Damn Chimera... These people are food you idiot!"

The creature roared at the boy and as it charged him it bit into his arm.

Téa screamed out horrified but the boy remained completely calm... In fact he was smiling...

But didn't that hurt?

We watched in amazement as the boy calmly said, "Like the taste of metal do ya? Then here!"

He shook his wrist free of the creatures jaws and ripping his coat. The boy's metal arm was now in full view.

Tristen yelled, "The kid's a robot!"

He yelled, "AL!"

"SETO!"

"DO IT NOW!"

A flash of lighting appeared and a metal cage appeared around the blood thirsty beast.

Téa looked at me and said, "Wait, did that kid just say Seto?"

The boy turned to us and yelled, "WHO THE HELLL YOU CALLIN' A KID?! I'M FREAKIN' 16 YOU IDIOTS!"

"What the Hell are you people doing here?! Don't tell me you actually did it?!"

We looked up to see a strangly dressed Seto Kaiba and a set of armor behind him walking toward us.

He said, "Calm down Ed. I know them."

We all yelled, "KAIBA?!"

He smirked and said, "Man, hardly anyone call me that anymore."

I could barely believe my eyes. Kaiba was standing in front of me all limbs attached and smirking. Let alone he wasn't the reck he was.

His hair was pulled back into a long braid, while he wore a pair of black slacks, a black button up shirt lined with white, a long blue coat with the Flammel cross on the back, and a pair of white gloves.

Was was more impressive was the fact he looked like he gotten stronger... Did he finally stop mourning Mokuba?

The boy looked up a Kaiba with his golden eyes and asked, "You really know these guys Seto?"

He nodded and said, "They're from my world."

He looked at me and Yami and said with a sigh, "So there was a soul bound to your puzzle. Which explains why he looks a great deal like you. Your blood must have mixed in the seal creating a body once you traverse the Gate. It also explains why you would talk to yourself, you were communicating with his soul. And to think I thought you was crazy for all this time."

Joey looked up at him and asked in confusion, "Is this really Kaiba? He sounds too smart."

He looked at Joey and said in a hiss, "Shut it Wheeler. You may have pulled off one decent transmutation to get here, but you will never reach our level."

Tristen responded, " Yup, that's defiantly Kaiba."

Kaiba turned his attention to Yami's missing leg. He glared and said, "You guys went through Truth that is for certain..."

The boy smirked and said, "Surprised only one of you is missing a limb or organs or a body all together. Truth can be a bastard like that."

Joey sat up and said, "We paid with the broken pyramid of light, thingy."

I continued by saying, "We had four pieces, and he acepted it as payment, but we didn't know Yami would have his own body when we came here, thus he took payment from his body..."

The armor spoke in the voice of a young boy as he said, "Brother, this pyramid thing... it sounds like a stone."

Kaiba shook his head and said, "It's not a stone Al, but it is powerful. It didn't allow them to bypass the exchange, it was the exchange. That thing was a twisted soul bent on killing people trapped in the pyrimid... Basiclly the shattered pieces are pieces of soul used as payment."

He turned his head to the blonde and said, "Hey Ed, looks like will be going to Resembol after this, chimera mess is all clean up."

The boy smirked and said, "Hopefully Winry doesn't try to kill us for wreaking her automail."

Kaiba gave a weak smile and said with a light chuckle, "I can't take much more of her wrenches."

Wow... I never seen Kaiba act this way... Who are these guys anyway?

Men in uniforms ran up to Kaiba and the boy. They looked like soilders only with blue and more elgant uniforms.

They looked around and asked, "Have you two seen The Fullmetal and The Silver Sword Alchemists? We need to get their report on the chimera's capture."

The boy yelled at the soiders, "We're right here!"

The looked at the boy and Kaiba and said, "There's no way you two are State Alchemist, you're too short, and you're too young."

The boy yelled, "WHO YOU CALLIN' A BEAN SIZE MIGET YOU JERK?!"

Joey snickkered at what the boy said and said, "Damn that's funny but what are they talking about?"

The boy and Kaiba pulled out identical silver pocket watches and held them up high with satified smiled on their faces. The group of men said in complete shock, "These two are our commanding officers?!"

Kaiba nodded and said in a stern voice, "I am Major Seto Kaiba, The Silver Sword Alchemist. One of the youngest State Alchemist in history."

He pointed to the cage with his thumb and said, "The chemeira has been captured and is ready for transport to Central Command we dealing with a civilan that had his leg torn off by the creature. Deal with the cage, ASAP! Understood?"

They saulted the two and said, "Yes Sirs!"

They ran over to the cage and began moving it as fast as possible.

Joey looked at Kaiba with suprise and yelled out, "Your a Major?! Like military?!"

The boy smirked and said, "So what. We're both State Alchemist reseive the rank of a Major. So your old pal is like me, a dog of the miltiary, for about three months now."

Tristen sat up and said,"Three months?! You've been here for three months!? Its' been like a month back home!"

Kaiba shook his head and said, "I have been a State Alchemist for three months. I've actually been here for nearly six months now."

Téa looked at him and said, "You've been here for nearly half a year!?"

The boy nodded and said, "Come on let's get your friend some medical attention before he bleeds out."

Yami looked up at the boy and asked with a pain wridden voice, "And who might you be?"

He smirked and said, "I'm Edward Elric, The Fullmetal Alchemist."


	6. Automail and Explanations UPDATE

Chapter 6: Automail and Explanations

EDWARD ELRIC

"We're almost there." I said walking over the hill that lead to Pinako's. Seto walked along me and Al, while the group followed behind slowly.

Yami and Yugi walked close together near the back, so he wouldn't have to walk alone.

Yami was defiantly having a hard time with the crutches and walking with one leg. It had been one week since we found them and Yami had healed enough to travel with some minor comfort.

I smirked as we saw the old house in the distance and said, "Well, we're here. Welcome to the Rockbell's house home of the famed Rockbell Automail."

A wrench came buzzing by and hit Kaiba in the head knocking him to the ground. I started laughing until another one hit me in the head as well.

The group looked at us and Tea asked, "What was..."

Seto replied with a groan, "Winry..."

I sat up yelled to the blonde automailist, "What the Hell Winry? We didn't break it that bad!"

Winry charged out of the front door with another wrench in hand and said, "You two should be more careful with my precious automail! Do you know how hard it is to make?!"

She ran up to us and yelled, "Why didn't you give me a damn call if you break it for once in your lives?! I expected this from Ed but you Seto! You're being just as bad as the Elrics!"

She looked at Al and asked in a growl while Seto and I recovered from her verbal assult, "How bad this time?"

Al responded, "Actually, not that bad. We came here mainly for our new friend, he may want some automail."

Winry looked at Yami wobbled in on crutches. His left pant-leg was completely flat because he was missing his leg up to his hip.

She smiled and said, "Well, you happened to be in luck. I'm the best automailst around. I can have you fixed up in no time."

Yami looked up and asked, "What's is automail exactly? No one ever explained that to us yet."

Seto shook his head and said, "I completely forgot to explain that... I'll show you what it is."

As he took of his left glove, I looked at Seto and said, "Seto... You don't..."

He glared at me and said, "They're going to figure out sooner or later... Might as well get this out of the way now..."

Seto now took of his right glove and rolled up his sleeve revealing the metallic contraption that is his automail hand. The new comers stared at it with wonder, horror, and shock all mixed together but clearly visble on their faces.

Winry weakly smiled and said, "Automail is a prosthetic limb where it's attaches to the undamaged nerves and is able to act a real limb."

Kaiba wiggled his fingers as proof of the technology and put his sleeve back leaving his gloves off.

Joey whispered in complete shock, "Kaiba...You have a metal hand?!"

Seto glared at him and said indifernatly, "Arm. I have a metal arm Wheeler. Ed here, he has an automail arm and leg."

Téa looked at his arm and asked, "How much did it hurt...?"

Seto gave a sad smile and said, "It seared with pain for weeks... One of the most painful experinces I have ever done... But it was worth it to regain my hand back..."

Yugi stepped up and asked timidly, "Can you feel?"

I shook my head and said, "No, but it does allow you to do things normal prosthetic wouldn't."

Winry grabbed Seto's wrist, started dragging him to the workshop and said, "Seto let's do a tune up, so they don't ask anymore questions."

Seto groaned and asked, "Can't you do Ed first?"

She smirked and replied, "No, the easiest to fix goes first and right now one arm is easier to fix, than arm and leg."

"Oh, come on Win..."

He groaned as the female mechanic hit him with her wrench, making easier to drag him to the shop.

I laughed and said, "Come on you'll get to see what she does close up... This is her passion after all."

"Oh, stop gawking at it... It's a freakin metal arm, get used to it." Seto hissed out as they looked at his automail and the scaring near his ports with curiousity.

He layed flat on a table in a black tank top, while Winry was working on his arm. Lucky there was no major damage but it still needed some matinance that required his nerves to be detached momentarily.

Winry smirked and said, "Alright Seto, we're ready to reatch the nerve now."

He groaned and said, "Let's get this over..."

Winry attached the nerve rather quickly catching him off guard.

Seto whinced in pain and yelled out in anger and pain, "WARN ME WHEN YOU DO THAT! IT HURTS LIKE HELL DAMMIT!"

She laughed and said, "No, because that's too dam fun to watch!"

Téa looked at Winry and asked timidly, "Is he going to be alright?"

Winry smiled and said, "Yeah, he'll be fine. Reattaching the nerve is the second worse pain you have when having automail."

Tristen looked up and asked, "What's the first?"

I replied coldly, "Installment... It hurts so much you can't use your limbs for months at a time."

Seto sat up and moved his arm around. He punched a few times and said, "Feels good."

She smiled and said, "It back to mint condition, so try not to wreak it. Or you'll have another encounter with my wrench..."

He nodded nervously and said, "Thanks Winry."

She turned her attetion to me and said, "Alright Ed, your up."

I mummbled under my breath in a sarcatic tone, "I can't wait."

Winry growled and tackled me to the ground. After the attack of a wrench, a slap, and an angery blonde yelling at me, I was now wearing a pair of shorts and a black tank top.

Joey and Tristen laughed and Joey said between his cackles, "Dude, you got beat up by a girl!"

Téa's eyebrow twitched, she then looked at Winry and asked sweetly, "Can I borrow that wrench?"

She tossed to her and pick one up herself, picking up on to her familar vibe. The two girls threw the wrenches at Joey and Tristen, knocking them to the floor. The two guys rubbed their heads in pain from the fresh of the wrench.

Téa yelled in a pissed off manor, "NOW WHO'S THE ONES WHO GOT BEAT UP BY GIRLS?!"

Winry gave a high five to Téa and said, "Nice work."

Winry looked at my leg first and said, "This will take a while Ed."

Yugi looked at me and asked, "So Ed how did you lose your arm and leg Ed?"

There was a pause of silence.

Seto said, "You don't..."

I responed, "Oh, but I do. They went throught the Gate. They need to hear this to understand what that place really is."

Winry sighed and continued her work ignoring the story she's heard many a time.

I looked up and said, "When we were little, our bastard of a father abandoned us. Years later our mother fell ill and she past away leaving Al and I with no one. Al and I, we were just kids who wanted to see our mother again. So we found ourselves a Teacher in alchemy and read thoughly on the subject. Then one night we attemped the forbidden science..."

I paused and said in a cold tone, "We attepted human transmutation."

They remained very quite. They know what it is but never heard the full truth of what it is.

They need to know, especially after they found Seto's circle.

"We tried to bring our mother back using human transmutation, but instead I lost my leg and Al..."

Al walked up and took off his helmet revealing his hollow self and the blood seal drawn on the back of his armor.

Yami whispered, "There's no one...in there..."

Al responed with his head still off, "My soul is bound to the armor. I lost my entire body and brother gave up his arm to bind me to it."

I looked up at them and said, "We tried to play God and we're still paying for our sin. We learned the hard way that no one comes back from the dead. Ever."

Al put his helmet back on and said, "We still have hope that we can get our bodies back."

I smirked and said, "And kick Truth's smug ass..."

"OH, COME ON! NOW OF ALL TIMES!"

Winry was at my arm and said, "I'm suprised you didn't react on the leg. Well now your done."

I hopped up and gave a few jabs and a kick and said, "Well they're back to normal that for certain."

Winry went to her automail drawers and said, "A client of mine is around your size with a simular injury..."

She blushed and said, "Um I never got your names..."

Yugi popped up and said, "Sorry, we did forget to indroude ourselves."

"I'm Yugi, this is Yami, Tristen, Joey, and Téa."

She smiled and said, "I'm Winry. Anyway, this client left town for a few months and I can build him a new one by then."

She held out an automail leg and said, "This can be your new leg Yami, if you want it. But fair warning it will be the most painful thing you ever done and you will be in remisson for two months, one of which you can't walk on it."

I looked at Yami and he said, "All right if it will get me walking again. I'll do it."

Winry tossed him a pair of shorts and said, "Go to the other room and put those on. The rest of you I sugest you leave, it not going to be a pretty sight."

The majortity of the group began leaving, except for Yugi.

He smiled and said, "You go ahead. I just figure Yami might want someone to talk to during this."

I nodded and said, "Your a lot like Al, Yugi. He never want's anyone to be alone."

We all exited the workshop building and closed the doors behind us.

Joey looked up and said, "Now what are we supose to do?"

Seto and Al looked at me and Seto asked, "Hey Ed, why don't we show them what we can really do?"

I smirked and said, "Your on Seto."


	7. Silver Sword vs Fullmetal

**Chapter 7: Silver Sword vs. Fullmetal**

**SETO KAIBA**

Ed and I were still in our tank tops from Winry fixing our arms.

Ed had put his pants back on for our sparing session.

Tea, Tristen, and Wheeler sat on the porch steps. Al sat down next to them.

Tea looked up at him and asked, "What are they doing?"

Al looked down and said, "They're getting ready to spar."

Wheeler snickered and said, "Like fist to fist, because that's going to leave some brusies with their metal fist."

Al shook his head and said, "No, watch and you'll see. We spar differently."

Ed looked at me and asked, "You ready Seto?"

I nodded and said, "Let's go."

I clapped my hands and pressed them to the ground, transmuting a wave of stone that knocked, Ed a few feet back.

When Ed got back up, he transmuted a fits punching me from below.

We continued like that for about ten minutes make the earth do our fighting.

Then I transmuted a iron long sword from the ground and Ed made a long spear.

We clashed our weapons for a while until we both deconsturcted them.

Ed and I had apparently the same idea because we both began transmuting our automail arms.

His came out of his wrist like a short sword, while mine looked like a kriss blade.

We clashed our arms together fighting back and forth.

We finally got wore out and transmuted our hands back to normal.

We both sat on the ground out of breath and drenched in sweat.

I looked at him and said, "Tie?"

He replied, "Tie."

I smirked and said, "That was pretty fun, eh Ed? Last time you beat me."

He nodded and said, "You gotten pretty dam good with you sword arm Seto. But you still need to work on the timing."

The group on the steps stared at us.

Wheeler mumbled out, "You two...spar like that? You two look like you wanted to kill each other!"

I laughed and said, "If you think that was good fight, see what happends when the Elrics spar. Al always wins."

Ed groaned, "He's a suit of armor that never get's tired, of course he will win!"

I looked at the front yard which was now a total mess.

I clapped my hands together and transmuted the yard clean. Ed did the same.

"I thought heard you two sparing. Thanks for cleaning up by the way."

Winry walked out with Yugi and Yami who was on the crutches, but this this time he had his new automail leg on.

Winry smirked and asked, "So who won?"

Ed laughed and said, "We called it a draw since no one was winning and we exsausted ourselves."

Winry smiled and said, "Same as usual. You will fight until you can't move."

Winry looked at Ed and asked, "Ed do mind?"

She nudged toward Yami who looked like he was in a lot of pain.

He nodded and said, "Not at all."

Ed clapped his hands and began transmuting a small chair.

Winry smiled and said, "Here you go Yami. You can sit here until the nerves hurt a little less."

He nodded and said, "Thank you Winry and Ed."

Yami sat down with a sigh and a surge of pain ran through his face.

Joey looked at Yami and asked, "So does it really work?"

Yami wiggled his toes and said, "That answer your question."

Ed looked at him and said, "Well Winry is right. It's the most painful thing you done. Right?"

He nodded and said, "I don't understand how you had two done in the same day especallity at 11 years old."

Ed shrugged and said, "Techinicly it was 37 hours, but I forced myself to do it. I told myself I'd do anything it takes to see Al back in his own body."

"Same old Fullmetal. You do anything to get Al back to normal."

I turned around to see Colonel Mustang and Lieutentant Hawkeye behind us.

I was completely shocked to see them here. I quickly gave a salute and said, "Colonel Mustang Sir!"

Winry smiled and said, "Hey Riza! Hi Colonel!"

Riza smiled and said, "It's good to see you Winry."

Ed snarled and asked, "What are you doing here Colonel Bastard?"

He pulled out his ignition gloves and snapped his fingers.

Ed's pant leg caught on fire and Ed smacked it out.

Joey jumped up and yelled, "He snapped and fire came out!"

Mustang smirked and said, "Well I am the Flame Alchemist."

I looked at the Colonel and said, "They're from where I'm from. Have no idea about the titles Sir."

He nodded and said, "Well that explains the clothes and the hair. I'm Colonel Roy Mustang, Fullmetal and Silver Sword's commanding officer and this is 2nd Lieuteintant Riza Hawkeye."

Each member of the group introduced themselves.

Tristen asked, "Um...Who's Fullmetal and Silver Sword?"

Mustang smirked and said, "Major Seto Kaiba, The Silver Sword Alchemist and Edward Elric, The Fullmetal Alchemist. All state alchemist receive a title based on their alchemic abilities. Ed is called Fullmetal because of his automail."

Tristen nodded and said, "Man, this stuff sounds complicated."

He turned to me and Ed and said, "Once your friend is well enough to travel, I want you two and your friends on the first train to Dublith."

Ed and Al grimance at the metion of the town's name.

Mustang looked at them and asked, "Is there a problem Fullmetal?"

Ed replied, "That's were our Teacher lives and she hasn't seen us since before the incident."

Al sighed and said, "She going to kill us when she finds out."

I looked up and said, "So, I finally get to meet your alchemy teacher. From what I understand you too are terrofied of her."

He nodded and said, "You'll see why we're afraid of her too, once you see her fight."

I looked at Mustang and said "He should be able to travel tomorrow."

Mustang nodded and said, "Then tomorrow morning at 11 o'clock, you will all take the train to Dublith and give a full report."

Mustang and Riza began to walk away whem he turned his head and said, "Make sure your friends get some decent disguise's."

He turned back and walked down the path.

Joey look up and asked, "What did he mean disguises?"

Ed laughed and said, "No one here has hair like Yugi's or Yami's. Plus your clothes don't look like they belong here at all."

Tea sighed and said, "The clothes are an easy fix, but their hair I don't know."

Ed looked at me and asked, "Do you have the same idea I have?"

I nodded and said, "We can change their hair color using alchemy, then we can just cut it or tie it off."

Yugi looked up at his hair and said, "If it make me less noticble, I'll give it a try."

Ed nodded and walked into the house.

He came out moments later with two bottles of yellow dye, a pair scissors, hair ties, and a hand mirror.

Ed motion to Yugi and said, "Come over here Yugi."

Yugi stepped forward and Ed have him hold the first bottle of dye near his head.

Ed began transmuting and the dye began to disappear from the bottle.

After he was done, the bottle was empty and Yugi's hair was dark blonde.

Tea said, "Whoa Yugi! You look completely different."

Ed pulled out the hair tie and pulled all his hair back into a pony tail.

A lock or two remained up front of his face.

Joey looked at Yugi and said, "You look like a completely diffent person Yug."

Ed handed him the mirror and asked, "What do you think?"

Yugi stared in shock at his blonde hair and said, "I don't look like me...Not at all..."

Ed snickered and said, "That's kind of the point. I can cut some hair off too if you want?"

Yugi shook his head and said, "This is fine."

He looked at Yami and said, "What about you? Your hair won't exactly fit in a hair tie."

Yami held up a bit of hair and said, "I supose can have my hair cut."

Winry smiled and said, "I'll do it Ed."

Ed handed Winry the pair of scissors and she went to work.

By the end of it his hair resembled that of Mustang's hair.

Ed took the second bottle of dye and once again transmuted.

Yami's hair was a little bit lighter than Yugi's, but the effect was the same. He looked like a different person.

Ed gave him the mirror and said, "If I didn't do it, I would have never known it was you."

Yami ran his fingers through his hair and said, "This is so strange."

Wheeler said, "I'll say. You two not only don't look like yourselves, but you guys had your hair dyed with magic."

Ed and I both yelled, "IT'S NOT MAGIC! IT'S ALCHEMY!"

Wheeler sat back and said, "Sorry, didn't mean to offend you, this stuff just sounds like magic."

I whispered, "God if I had my notes right now I would..."

Yugi toss me a small black notebook and said, "We picked this up when we were trying to help you."

I opened it up and said, "Thank you for my notes. Now my question is, how much did you decipher?"

Yugi looked up and said, "We decypered the pages about the circle and that's about it."

Ed looked at my journal and said, "Great minds think alike."

Ed pulled a journal from his pocket.

Winry looked at us and said, "Once Yami is feeling a bit better, let's go to the clothing shops and find these guys something to wear."

Ed looked at them and said, "Yeah if they want to be unoticed in Dublith let alone Central we need to get them some new clothes."

Winry jumped up and said," Your going to Dublith, that trains stops in Rush Valley! Let me go with you!"

Ed and I groaned. Tea asked, "What's Rush Valley?"

Oh no. They could not leave it alone.

Winry jumped up and said, "It the holy grail of automail!"

Ed sighed and said, "That's why we don't want to go."

Winry held out her wench and asked, "So when are we leaving?"

Ed and I gulped and said, "11 in the morning."


	8. Izumi Curtis

**Chapter 8: Izumi Curtis**

**YUGI MOTOU**

"I see why you were avoiding that place." Yami said as we walked down the path.

We all looked really differnt now with our new clothes to the point, I didn't recognize Yami while walking.

Yami wore a pair of black slacks, a buttoned long sleeved shirt with a brown vest which my clothes were nealy identical.

Joey wore light blue collared shirt with black vest and slacks.

Tristen wore white button up shirt and a pair of blue slacks.

Tea now wore a set of tan cargo pants, a white long sleeved shirt, with a tan jacket to match.

Ed and Kaiba didn't change their outfits.

Ed wore almost all black except for his red overcoat and white gloves.

Same went for Kaiba, execpt it was a dark blue coat instead of the red.

Both had a black flammel drawn on the back that looked like a snake wrapping around a cross with a crown and wings.

Ed and Kaiba nodded to Yami's remark.

Kaiba said with a groan, "They like automail...A lot in Rush Valley. They go nuts at the sight of it."

Al looked at them and said, "I still can beilive that girl pickpocketed your watches."

Ed sighed and said, "Yeah, but she didn't quite understand how an honset living worked."

Ed and Al stopped in their tracks.

"Brother, that's her shop right?"

Ed nodded and said, "Let's go see Teacher."

Tea leaned over to me and said, "I wonder why they're so scared of their Teacher?"

We opened the door of a butcher shop. Behind the counter was a big burly man.

Ed stepped up and said, "Hey Sid long time no see."

He looked down at Ed and said, "Ed? Al? I haven't seen you boys in years!"

Al stepped up and said, "How's teacher?"

He shook his head and said, "She been not feeling too well. I'll tell her your here."

The burly man walked behind a door.

Tea said, "I hope she's all right."

All of a suden a fist hit Ed and Al right out the store window.

A woman in an apron had her hands pressed against the wall.

She yelled, "MY IDIOT STUDENTS RETURN FOR ANOTHER ROUND!"

She ran out the window. Joey looked at the woman and said, "She pretty strong for a woman who hasn't felt well."

She yelled at Ed, "Come on you can do better than this."

Ed transmuted a spear from the wall.

The woman clapped her hands and deconstucted the spear.

She tackled the two boys to the ground.

She yelled, "It's just as I thought, Ed your missing an arm and a leg and Al is a suit of armor."

Kaiba stared in shock and said, "She didn't draw anything..."

The woman got off of Ed and Al and dusted off.

Yami asked, "Who are you?"

The woman gave a friendly smiled and said, "I'm just an average housewife..."

All of a sudden she threw up a bit of blood.

Ed jumped up and asked, "Teacher are you all right?"

She grabbed his wrist and flipped him back on the ground.

She mumbled, "My idiot students..."

Al stood up and motioned us to come here.

Ed stood up once again hiding behind Al.

She smiled and said, "I'm Izumi Curtis, these two idoits, alchemy teacher."

I stepped forward and said, "I'm Yugi, this is Tea, Yami, Joey and Tristen."

They all waved.

Kaiba stepped forward and said, "I'm Seto Kaiba, I work with Ed and Al in the state alchemist."

She grabbed Kaiba's wrist and flipped him on too the ground.

She smirked and said, "So your a dog of the miltiary too? An automail arm as well. Well it seems you have more in common with these idiots then I thought."

Al looked at her and said, "You knew I was empty."

She nodded and said, "When I fought you two, your body made echos, and Ed transmuted without a circle. So that could only mean one thing."

Ed looked up at Izumi. "You fools tried it didn't you?"

Ed looked down and said, "Yes, we did."

Izumi shook her head and said, "Come inside, I have a story to tell you, all of you."

* * *

We all sat in the living room as Izumi began her tale.

"Sid and I have been married for a very long time. We have always wanted a child but, we could never conceive."

"When we finally did, I had a miscarried at 8 months in. I was so devastated that our child died, I did the unthinkable."

"I attempted human transmutation, using the body of our child as a base."

She let a few tears rolled down her face. "As payment Truth took some of my insides, therefore I can't have another child. The thing I created didn't look like a child and moments later it died right in front of me."

Ed sighed and said, "We tried bring back our mother. We just wanted to see her smile."

Izumi looked up and said, "You poor boys..."

Kaiba pulled out his locket and whispered, "Mokubia...I'm sorry."

She looked up at Kaiba and said, "You did it too. Didn't you?"

He nodded and said, "I wanted to hold my little brother in my arms again."

He face filled with sadness.

Izumi looked at Ed and Kaiba and said, "You poor boys...It's ok to hurt..."

Kaiba stepped out of the room and went outside.

Ed looked at us and said, "He needs to be alone right now."

A clap of thunder rolled across the room.

Yami grabbed his leg in pain.

Ed sighed and said, "It's starting to rain. I can feel it in my stubs as well. It's not a bad shower or I'd be getting sick by now."

Yami sat back down and said, "This is too much pain for one week."

Al looked outside and said, "I'll go check on Seto, the rain doesn't bother me."

I looked at Ed and said, "So she taught you two alchemy?"

Ed nodded and said, "Yeah, the first thing she did was take us to a deserted island, gave us a knife and said, All is one, One is all you have one month to survive figure out what that means. Then she left us there."

Tea said in suprise, "What?! How old were you?"

Ed said, "Al was 7 and I was 9."

Tristen fell to the floor and said, "What!?

" Ed nodded and said, "Surviving was rather easy, the hard part was the riddle."

I repeated it, "All is one, One is all. What was the answer?"

Ed replied, "All is the universe, one is me."

Joey scratched his head and said, "I don't get it."

Ed sighed and said, "Think of it this way. When you die, you fertilized the grass, which will be eaten by animals and so on until you become a part of everything. You become all things but remain as one person. All is one. One is all."

Yami nodded and said, "I think I understand."

Ed smiled and said, "It's that basic concept that alchemy is formed around."

I looked at Ed and asked, "So how did Kaiba get the nickname Silver Sword?"

Ed smirked and said, "It's not a nickname, it his title. All state alchemist receive, access to all research topics, funds for research and other uses, the rank of a Major, and a title."

Ed pulled out his silver pocket watch and said, "This is our badges, I'm The Fullmetal Alchemist due to the fact I have two automail limbs."

"Seto is The Silver Sword Alchemist because he specializes in making swords out of anything. His arm, iron, silver, copper, anything he can get his hands on. If he knows what's it's made of then he can make a sword out of it. But he prefers silver to most metals."

Joey looked up and said, "Wait, you said reseach. Right? Why do you do research?"

Ed smiled and said, "Alchemy is a scince and with that new things are being discovered everyday. Actually, when it comes to me in a libray no one can get me out of a book."

Tea raised an eyebrow and asked, "So you like to read?"

He nodded and said, "Currently me and my brother are reseaching the Philospher's Stone in hopes it will help us get our bodies back."

Yami sat up a bit and asked, "Didn't we read something about that before we left?"

I nodded and said, "Yeah, it said, it could bypass the laws of equivilant exchange."

Izumi sat up and said, "A man visited here not to long, who is an expert on the subject."

Ed jumped up and asked, "Is he still here?"

She shook her head and said, "No he left and said he was going to Central. But he did leave his name."

Ed bounced in his heels and asked, "Who?!"

She looked up and said, "His name is Hohenheim."

Ed immediatly stopped his joy and turned it to rage.

He growled, "That bastard is still alive..."

Izumi looked up to Ed and asked, "You know him?"

Ed yelled, "Know him! He my bastard of a father!"


	9. A Homunculus and A Familiar Face

**Chapter 9: A Homunculus and A Familiar Face**

**SETO KAIBA**

I felt a singeing pain run through my arm.

I looked up from my tears and felt the steady pitter patter of rain against my face.

I pulled up the hood of my coat and walked down the street.

I pulled out my locket and opened it.

Mokubia, I'm sorry.

I should have left it be.

I should have let you rest in peace.

I will always treasure the time we had but it's time I take Ed advice.

I closed my locket and put it away. I pulled out my pocket watch.

I clapped my hands and transmuted a mesage in it.

I opened it up and it said, "_Never Forget: Mokubia. May 27_."

His birthday the day he was always exicited about.

I transmuted once again sealing the pocketwatch closed.

I heard the all to fimilar sound of Al's armor.

I turned around to see him walk into a old tunnel with some questionable company.

I kept my hood up and sneaked in behind them.

I peered behind the corner of the building.

A man walked up to Al and said, "The lady inside you right now she's a chimera. Part snake. Everyone but here is a chimera except you and me."

Al asked, "Then what are you?"

The man snickered and said, "My name is Greed, I'm a homunculus."

A created being? Now this I have to see.

Greed laughed and said, "To put it simply I can't die."

He looked at a bigger guy and nodded.

The bigger guy pulled out a slugehammer and pounded Greed's head into the floor creating a bloody mess.

He just killed himself to prove a point the guy was crazy.

He body began to move.

A red light glowed from his spaltered head.

His head began growing back...

My god, he really can't die.

He laughed and said, "That tickled. But enough about me, let talked about you."

Al asked, "What do you want from me?"

Greed replied, "I want to know how you were made."

I can't stand by any longer.

I stepped out and said, "Leave him alone."

Greed laughed, "Well, well stranger, you have no idea what you got yourself into."

Apperantly my face is well hidden in this hood.

Greed held up his hand showing his ourobus tattoo.

"Homonuclus right?" I said coldly.

He smirked and said, "Very good, now shut up and die!"

His hands turned gray and jagged like claw, then he charged at me.

I was about to transmute my arm when a stone fist came came from the wall.

A small child sat at the foot of the wall.

He was wrapped in cloth from head to toe.

The bigger chimera looked at him and said, "Necro's back."

The kid stood up revealing his automail hands.

He clapped his hands together and trapped the two chimeras in an iron cage.

He's transmuting without a circle...

He looked at me and said in a scatchy voice, "His ultimate shield is weak with electricity."

Greed growled and told the chimera inside Al, "Run, I'll hold them off!"

Al yelled as he ran away, "Help!"

The kid ran after Al and said, "I'll get him back. You deal with Greed."

I looked at Greed as another stone fist came out of the wall.

Greed face regentated and asked, "Who did that?"

Izumi and Ed rushed in.

Izumi yelled, "A HOUSE WIFE!"

I see now why the Elrics are scared of her.

I looked at them and said, "This guy is a homoculus! He can't die!"

Ed yelled, "What?! Everybody dies."

Greed laughed and said, "Not me."

I yelled, "They smash his head in with a slugehammer and it grew back! Do you think I would make that shit up?!"

Greed sheild now surrounded his whole body.

I clapped my hands and transmuted static electicty over his body. His sheild began to break a part.

He yelled, "You bastard!"

He sliced into my shoulder.

Greed yelled, "This isn't over!"

He ran off into the tunnel. Izumi and Ed ran up to me.

"Seto are you alright?"

I looked at Ed and said, "They got Al."

Izumi helped me up and said, "Are you sure your alright?"

I nodded and said, "We need to go after Al."

"No you don't."

Al stepped up with the kid next to him.

The kid spoke up in his srcathy voice, "The chimera bailed out of Al when I showed up."

Ed looked at the kid and asked, "Who are you and why are you so scary?"

The kid replied, "They call me Necro, because I did something bad. That's also why they're scared of me."

I heard the movement of footsteps

Necro took a few steps back and said, "I've got to go."

Izumi yelled, "Wait!" but Necro was long gone.

Soilders ran down the steps of the tunnel.

Then the unthinkable happened.

Furher King Bradly stepped down the stairs.

He took one look at me and said, "Get a medic for Silver Sword ASAP!"

I smirked and said, "Thank you sir. I would salute but my hand is the only thing keeping pressure on my wound."

He nodded and said, "I was doing my yearly visit to the south, when some one reported that two criminals ran down here. One by the name of Greed, who has been charged with murder."

Ed asked, "Who's the other one?"

He replied, "No one knows his real name. He goes by the ailis Necro. Did you encouter either one?"

I looked up and said, "We fought Greed, which is why I hurt?"

Bradly looked at me and asked, "Did he ask you anything?"

I remained quite.

"Let me rephase that, did he ask you anything and you told him anything you will be excuted on the spot."

I look up and said, "No, he didn't."

Bradly nodded and said, "Good, lets move out troops."

The soilders backed up and the medic ran up to me.

Bradly smiled and said, "Good work Silver Sword and Fullmetal. I'll see you back in Central."

He walked up the steps leaving me with even more unanswered questions than before.


	10. What They're Made Of

**Chapter 10: What They're Made Of**

**EDWARD ELRIC**

"Your serious! You guys ran in to the dam king of the whole country!" Joey said as we rode on the train back to Central.

I nodded and said, "It was really strange, I had no idea the Furher was even doing his patrols in the south."

Yugi looked out the window of the train and said, "You guys should really see this."

Everyone but Seto, Al, and I, looked out the window.

Al pointed out the window and said, "That's right this is your first time here. Welcome to Central."

The trained pulled in and immediately I saw Major Armstrong waiting there for us.

Seto laughed and said, "Armstrong came to pick us up? Strange I figure Huges would jump at the chance to tell us about his wife and daughter."

Yami looked up and asked, "Who's Huges and Armstrong?"

I replied, "Lieutenant Maes Huges. He is a big family man and a close friend to the Colonel. As for Major Alex Armstrong, he's a state alchemist, like us. He has the title, The Strong Arm Alchemist. Your actually about to meet him."

We all got of the train.

Yugi helped Yami get off the car.

You know they kind of remind me of me and Alphose. They look and act like brothers.

The Major had a sad look on his face which immediate changed we walked up to him.

Seto looked up and said, "It's good to see you Major."

He smirked and said, "As well as you Mr. Kaiba. It also good to see the Elric brothers with you. May I asked who your friends are?"

Seto told them each one of their names.

Armstrong lead us to a rather large car and we all got in.

Seto looked at the Major and asked, "What happened?"

The Major remained quite.

Seto responded to the silence, "I know you Major. The first time you met me or anyone you were so excited that you rip of your shirt. So tell me what happened that made you not want to do that?"

The Major sighed and said, "Lieutenant Maes Huges was murder last week..."

The words hit me hard.

"What? No...Why would anybody kill him? He had a family..." Al said his voice sounding shaky.

None of us could believe what we had just heard.

For most of the ride to the Central Command we remained quite.

I sighed and said, "He wouldn't want to see us like this. He would want us to move forward."

Al nodded and said, "Brother, I'll miss him."

I nodded and said, "Yeah me too Al."

* * *

We walked into Mustang's office. He sat their actually doing his paperwork.

This must be effecting him a lot more than most people.

He looked up at us and said, "I just received your report from the Greed incident."

I nodded and said, "He injured Seto and ran off. We could chase after him or Seto might have died. Then the Furher showed up."

He nodded and said, "I knew he was doing rounds in the south, but showing up to your exact location is more than a coincident."

I replied and said, "We heard about Huges..."

The Colonel sighed and said, "I won't lie, it tuff seeing an old friend be buried. But back to the matter at hand."

He put the file away and pulled out another. "Silver Sword, Fullmetal, do you remember Dr. Marcoh and him telling you about his notes kept in the Central Library?"

I nodded and said, "Yeah."

He tossed me three books and said, "We found his notes but they been heavily encrypted, so you'll have a bit of something to do."

Seto grabbed one of the books and said, "He made them look like cookbooks. Clever."

"Only an alchemist would recognized that this isn't normal ingredients."

Joey raised an eyebrow and asked, "What with alchemist and making their stuff in codes?"

Seto replied, "Alchemist each have their own technique, take for instants Colonel Mustang. He is the only person in Amestris with the knowledge of flame alchemy and to prevent anyone from figuring out his secrets he will either hide his notes, encrypted them, or destroy them."

Tristen asked, "Who is Dr. Marcoh?"

I replied, "He an expert of Philosopher's Stones and if we can decipher his notes we can make one."

Mustang picked up his phone and said, "Send me Lieutenants' Ross and Havoc."

Moments later they walked in the room.

Mustang looked at me and said, "These two will guard you until the notes have been fully deciphered."

I groaned and said, "Oh come on Colonel Bastard we don't need babysitters."

He looked at me and said, "There not guarding you idiot, their guarding the research."

I looked at Mustang and said, "About a day after we found the notes the Central Library burnt down and it was no accident. Someone doesn't want us to know about this research so we're keeping it guarded until it's been deciphered."

I nodded in agreement.

Mustang put down the file and said, "Dismissed."

We all walked out of the room. Havoc asked while lighting a cigarette, "So where are we going?"

I looked at them and said, "Our hotel room."

* * *

Three days had past and we finally decoded the journals.

Tea, Joey, Tristen and Yugi had stepped out to get lunch and now entered the door way.

I stared in shock of what I had discovered.

Al and Yami sat in their chairs completely horrified.

Seto left the room eariler so he could throw up. I might join him on the fact of how sicking this really is.

Yugi looked at us and asked, "So did you guys figure out how the stone is made?"

Yami nodded and said, "Yes we did..."

Joey smiled and said, "Then let's make this puppy, get home, and your bodies back."

I yelled, "No we can't make it! We should never make it! We should have never gone after it!"

Yami nodded and said, "We should have left it be..."

Tea looked at me and said, "Ed what's wrong? Why can't you go after the stone?"

Seto walked in, still looking quite sick.

He mumbled out, "The main ingeredinat for a Philospher Stone is...human lives..."

They stared in complete horror.

Joey whispered out, "I..I...didn't know..."

"My god...What was I saying!"

"We can't ever make it...Ever..."

Tristen ran past Seto to the bathroom. I guess he had a weak stomach when it came to this.

I looked at Seto and said, "Help me get these notes, this must never see the light of day again."

Seto nodded and we began picking up the pieces of paper and the notebooks.

Al transmuted a metal box and we put in all reseach in.

I looked at Havok and asked, "Can I borrow a lighter?"

He tossed me his metal lighter and said, "Go ahead. This is some really fucked up shit..."

I picked up one of the books and set it on fire, letting it burn in the metal box with the rest of the research.

Tristen walked back in and saw the burning notes.

Al looked at me and asked, "How are we going to get our bodies back brother?"

I looked at him and said, "We'll find a way Al. You will get your body back! I promise."

I looked at Havok and Ross and said, "This information never leaves this room. I'll tell Mustang why."

The two nodded and left the room.

Yami sat up and said, "I thought the shadow realm was horrible, but this..."

"This is the kind of things which nightmares are born."

I nodded and said, "To think people made these things, and used them knowing what they were. They sound like complete monsters."

The phone began to ring. I walked up and answered it. "Hello."

"_Hello Edward_."

"Teacher? What's going on? Why are you calling?"

She sighed and asked, "_Do you remember that boy from the tunnel, who was wrapped in wrags and had automail hands_?"

I replied, "Yeah, why?"

"_Because he showed up in front of our house last night. He was hurt badly and his automail is practically destroyed_."

I sighed and said, "Poor kid."

She replied, "_I was hoping you could call your automail mechanic to come down here and look at him_."

I sighed and said, "Winry is in Rush Valley right now, but she supose to call tomorrow. I'll see what I can do."

"_Oh and Ed_."

"Yeah?"

"_The boy won't admit it but I think he part of our fold..."_

He committed the taboo. The kid must of lost someone really close to do that.

"I'll bring Seto with me to Dublith when we the chance. He should know he's not alone."

She replied, "_Thank you Ed_."

I asked, "Did you get a name from him?"

She sighed and said, "_Only a nickname. They call him Necro_."

Necro? What a strange nickname for a kid.

"I'll talk to you later Teacher."

"_Goodbye, my idiot student_."

I hung up the phone and turned to Seto.

"Hey when we get the chance we have to go see Teacher. That kid, Necro is there and he's seems to be in the same boat we're in."

Seto nodded and said, "I figured since he transmuted without a circle and he has two automail hands."

I nodded and said, "Then when Winry gets back to Central will go back to Dublith to help this kid."


	11. Scar

**Chapter 11: Scar**

**YUGI MOTOU**

Yami looked at his hands and said, "I'm a bit curious."

"So normal alchemist can't do the transmutation without a circle, but you can do it because you saw Truth."

Ed nodded and said, "Yeah, that sounds about right."

He looked at his hands and said, "I wonder..."

He clapped his hands together and set them on the ground.

A spark erupted from his hands and he made a small statue of the Dark Magican appear.

It was completely made of wood.

He sat back suprised and said, "I did not expect that to actually happen..."

Ed smirked and said, "I almost forgot. You guys went through Truth like us, so gained a some alchemic abilities."

Ed picked up a small rock off the counter and tossed it to Joey.

Ed asked, "What is that rock made of?"

Joey looked at it and said, "It's dolomitic limestone. What so importaint about..."

Tristen yelled, "How the hell did you know that?! You have C- in chemistry!"

Joey looked at it and said, "I don't know, the name just popped into my head when I touched it."

Ed laughed and said, "Truth gave you pasage and knowlage for your payment. You have all the knowlage of an alchemist running through your head. Allowing you gain knowlage of nearly every substance."

Al nodded and said, "You should be able to transmute without cirles just like Yami did."

Joey smirked, he clapped his hands and placed them on the ground.

He transmuted a small statue of Mai and Serentiy holding up peace signs.

He gave a big smile and said, "Ha! Your not so special now, Eh Kaiba!"

Ed smirked and said, "You may know how to use alchemy but, we have a one up on you guys. We're state alchemist, we have acess to vast amounts of alchemic reseach and we have knowlage of alchemic combat."

Joey frowned in disappointment.

Al replied, "But if you get better with your alchemy maybe you can take the state exam in five weeks. Then you guys could help us get our bodies back."

Yami nodded and said, "It could be usefull once I can walk again, and a you have treated us with great kindness. It's the least we can do."

Tea nodded and said, "We could also find our way home too."

Ed smirked and said, "Well then, enough talk. We should get to Central Command. Then we'll have to call Winry and tell her to meet us in Dublith."

Yami cringed in pain and said, "It's starting to rain isn't it?"

Kaiba nodded and said, "Yeah, it will feel like that until your nerve entirely heals. Even after that, you will feel the singe of the rain."

We all walked out of the hotel and began walking.

Kaiba was pointing our some building to us, when a man with sunglasses approached Ed and Kaiba.

He asked without looking up, "Are you The Fullmetal and Silver Sword Alchemists?"

Ed nodded and said, "Yeah why?"

The main pulled up his arm revealing a long series of tattooed transmution circles and his face had a large 'X' shaped scar on it.

Kaiba yelled, "It's Scar!"

The man transmuted the ground causing it to shatter.

Joey looked at Kaiba and asked, "Who the heck is this Scar guy?!"

Al yelled, "He's a serial killer, target's state alchemist. He says he kills them in God's name."

Scar yelled, "Foolish alchemists who have turned their backs on the ways of God...shall all be punished!"

He charged at Ed and grabbed his arm. There was a flash of sparks but nothing happened other than rip his jacket sleeve.

Ed smirked and said, "Didn't calulate me being part metal!"

Ed kicked Scar square in the jaw.

Kaiba transmuted his arm into a blade and said, "You say you kill in God's name. But I ask you this...Why kill a defenless little girl?!"

The words completely shocked me. Scar really did that...

Kaiba screamed, "She did nothing to you and you killed her in cold blood..."

I heard a cry from Tea as she said, "H-he killed a little girl?..."

Scar replied, "She was an abomination, one that should have never lived. So I put her out of her misery releasing her soul unto God."

Ed growled, "You bastard! She was six year old child with a horrible father, yet you punish her for his sins!"

Scar said coldly, "It is my duty as a servant of God..."

Ed yelled, "You son of a bitch!"

The two alchemist charged in alchemy and blades a blazing.

They fought with him with such a feroisty I never seen before.

Kaiba was able to nick his arm only to have Scar bang his head into the wall.

Scar finally grabbed Ed's automail arm and then proseed to rip it from his body.

He screamed in agonizing pain as the blood came from his automail ports.

He turned to Kaiba who had a stream of blood running from his forehead and holding his arm.

Kaiba looked really pale and was wobbling as he walked. He must have a concussion.

Scar looked at him and said, "Allow me to send you to God, Silver Sword Alchemist."

Mustang and Hawkeye drove up behind us with lighting speed.

The Colonel pulled out his glove and snapped. A cloud of black smoke appeared.

Hawkeye replied, "You usless when it rains Sir."

The Colonel head sunk as he said, "Useless..."

Hawkeye pulled out her gun and shot Scar in the shoulder.

His sunglasses fell off as held his now bloody shoulder, revealing his bright red eyes with dark circles underneath.

Hawkeye yelled, "He's Ishvalen!"

Scar pressed his hand on the ground and made a hole which sliped down into.

Kaiba stood up and said, "We have to go...after him..."

Kaiba's eyes rolled into the back of his head and fell to the ground completely unconscious.

Al ran over to Ed who was still rithing in pain from having his automail torn off.

Ed yelled, "DAM THAT BASTARD!"

Mustang pulled out a radio and said, "We have an emerency. Two alchemist are gravely injured. We need back up ASAP!"

Tea ran over to Kaiba and said, "Guys help me move Kaiba toward the Colonel."

Joey and Tristen ran over and craddled him their hands.

Scar did that to them like it was nothing...

Mustang yelled, "What have they gotten themselves into? They knew this guy took out ten other state alchemist. They're lucky to be alive."

Mustang had a piece of cloth in hand and was pressing it on Kaiba's head.

He looked at me and said, "Yugi, I want you to hold this on his wound, I need to check on Edward."

I nodded and I placed my hands on the bloody rag.

Mustang looked at Tea and said, "Pick up as much of his automail as you can find."

Tea nodded and went to work.

I heard the roar of engines as two cars pulled up.

Al picked up Ed and placed him in one while Tea carried the remains of his automail.

Joey and Tristen carried Kaiba into the backseat of the other veicile while I sat there still holding the blood soaked rag to his head.

The vechies started up and we drove away at a furious rate.


	12. Painful Memories

**Chapter 12: Painful Memories**

**SETO KAIBA**

I slowly opened my eyes to a brightly lightened room which was hard to see.

I groaned out, "God, my head hurts..."

"Well you did get a pretty nasty concussion back there Seto. Scar bang your head into a freakin' wall."

My vision evened out and I found out where I am.

I saw that I was sitting in a hospital room and Ed was in the bed next to me.

Ed had bandages running down the side of his ribs and wrapped around his automail ports.

I looked at my self to see my automail was wrapped in a sling.

I felt the wrapping of bandages around my head.

Ed smirked and said, "About time you woke up Seto."

I sat up, looked at Ed and said, "I feel horrible..."

Ed looked at me and said, "Not surprised. The doctor said you had a severe concussion and said you maybe..."

I quickly grabbed the trash can by my bed and proseed to throw up.

Ed sighed and said, "...A bit nauseous when you wake up. But once, the bleeding stops your cleared to leave."

I layed back down and said, "There is only one benfit from this."

Ed looked at me and asked, "What?"

I replied with a smile, "Now Winry can't throw a wrench at my head for a while."

Ed groaned and said, "Can I have a head injury too?"

I laughed and then felt a surge of pain rolled through my body.

"Man, it hurts to even laugh."

Ed smirked and said, "We got our asses handed to us."

I nodded and said, "Yeah..."

"Hey Ed?"

"Yeah Seto."

"How long have I been out?"

Ed put his hands on the back of his hand on the back of his head and said, "About 3 weeks now."

I groaned and said, "And how much longer till Winry shows up to kick our asses?"

Ed shugged and said, "About an hour or so."

The door opened and Yugi and his friends walked in along with Al.

Wheeler smirked and said, "Good morning sleeping beauty. How do you feel?"

I sat up to respond to his question, but instead I turned my head and threw up into the trash can once again.

Ed laughed and said, "The concussion made him extremely nauseous when he sits up. Other than that and his automail being broken, he'll be fine."

I lied back down and said, "I really hate being like this."

Yami was no longer on his cructhes but still had a wobble to his step.

He gave a small smirk and said, "Welcome to my world. It's so hard to just walk around let alone do anything right now."

Ed nodded and said, "Yeah, I remember that. It was a pain in the ass the first couple of days, but it will get better."

The group walked in and closed the door.

Ed looked at Al and asked, "So how goes their alchemy training?"

I sighed and said, "I missed that too? I hate being knocked out..."

Al gave a small laugh and said, "They seem to be progressing pretty well and they each found their own style. Tea has a knack with plant based alchemy and turning them into iron."

Ed smirked and said, "Let me guess, you grow the plant and bring out the natrual iron fillament in the plant creating a metal plant. Am I right?"

She nodded and said, "Tristen does quite well with electricity."

I looked at Tristen and said, "Really? Electrical alchemy is not practiced that often."

Al pointed toward Wheeler and said, "Joey had a natural talent with well...starting fires..."

I looked at Wheeler and said, "There is no way you figured it out! Mustang is the only one with the knowledge of flame alchemy."

Ed yelled, "Yeah! I been begging him for years to show me the circles and give me the dam gloves."

Al shook his head and said, "What I mean is he's alchemy literally produces heat, which he still trying to learn to control it."

I look at Wheeler, who hands had bandages on it. He smirked and said, "I burnt my hands after making a metal statue.

Al looked at the Yami and Yugi and said, "Yugi is really good at reconstructive alchemy."

Al held up Ed automail limb and said, "He fixed all the broken pieces in your arm brother."

Ed gasp and said, "I've seen all the automail blueprints and I still can't do that."

Yugi shugged and said, "What can I say, I like puzzles and I seem to piece together where everything belonged."

I looked at Yami and asked, "So what seems to be your alchemic specialty?"

Yami smirked and said, "I'm quite good at transmuting crystals..."

Ed and I both yelled, "WHAT?!"

Yami tilted his head and asked, "What, is something wrong?"

Ed yelled, "The secerts of crytal alchemy we lost nearly 70 years ago! You really figured out how to transmute crystals?"

Yami knelt to the floor, clapped his hands, and small crytal flower blossomed from the stone floor.

Ed and I sat there completely speechless.

Yami picked up the crystal flower and sat in on the desk.

Al laughed and said, "I was just as speechless as you guys when he did that for the first time. Those crystals are harder than diamonds."

I stare in awe of the crystal flower and said, "If you show them something like this at the exams, your a shoe in."

Tea looked at me and said, "Hey Kaiba, there something I been wanting to ask you."

I looked her as she said, "When you were fighting Scar, you yelled at him about killing a little girl..."

"Her name was Nina." I said looking down.

"Her father was Shou Tucker, The Sewing Life Alchemist, who specilized in making chimeras. He received his licence by making the first talking chimera. It said only one thing. I want to die. It wouldn't eat until it got it's wish."

"We went to his house to do some reaseach on the Philsopher's Stone. Ocasionally his 6 year old daughter Nina and her dog, Alexander, who come down and we would play with her."

"When we came back the next day, Tucker had made a new talking chimera. It's first words it said to us, 'Edward...Seto...Big brothers...'"

I stopped letting the tears roll down my face. "That monster of a man made a chimera our of his only daughter and her dog, just to keep his licence knowing perfectly well, that there is no way to turn them back..."

Yami looked up in horror as I continued, "Ed nealy beat him to death only to be stopped by Nina saying, 'To stop hitting daddy' and 'Can we play now?'..."

Tea had tears rolling down her eyes. Wheeler and Tristen look like they were holding them back.

I contitued, "Tucker was put on house arrest, until Scar came and killed him and little defencless Nina."

Yami looked at me and said, "No wonder you acted the way you did."

I nodded and said, "I thought my step-father was a monster, but after Tucker...Gozabouro seems timid."

The door bust open and Winry came in armed with a wrench.

Ed raised his hand and said, "Don't hit Seto! His head hurt as is!"

Winry looked at me with large amount of bandages wrapped around my head.

She looked at Ed and said, "What the heck happened to my automail?!"

I replied, "A serieal killer came after us. Ripped off Ed's automail arm and he nearly broke my head in and tore up my automail."

Al held up Ed's dismebered automail arm.

Winry stare at it in shock and said, "Everything is in the right place. But how..."

Al nudged to Yugi and said, "Yugi is good at putting things back together and his new alchemy talents kind of helped."

Winry smiled and said, "Yugi you've made my job ten times easier. Thank you."

Yugi blushed and said, "It's no big deal."

She picked up the arm and walked over to Ed's bed.

She had begun reattaching the automail when Colonel Mustang and Hawkeye walked in.

Mustang smirked and said, "It's good to see you awake Silver Sword. How do you feel?"

I replied, "Like crap, if I sit up my head spins and I get sick. According to Ed, it should wear off in a hour or two."

Wheeler jumped up and said, "Colonel Mustang sir! My name is Joseph Wheeler and I would like to ask you a question."

Mustang nodded and said, "Go ahead."

Wheeler smirked and said, "After a little training with Al, I discovered that my alchemy talents produce heat. I ended up melting and catching a few things un-fire."

"And I was wondering Sir, if you would take me on as a student, and train me in the art of flame alchemy that way I can learn to control this burning heat in my alchemy?"

Poor deliosnal Wheeler, Mustang would never...

"Alright Joseph."

I looked up and said, "What?"

Ed eyes grew big as he asked, "Did he just say, Yes?"

Mustang replied, "As of this moment Joesph Wheeler, I am your flame alchemy teacher."

Everyone yelled, "WHAT?!"

Wheeler smiled and said, "Thank you Sir... I mean Teacher..."

Mustang looked at him and said, "First thing tomorrow morning, you will report to my home and we will begin with the basics of flame alchemy. Understood?"

Wheeler saluted and said, "Yes Sir!"

"Good, now back to bussiness. I understand you two have to go back to Dublith?"

Ed nodded and said, "Actually we were going to ask Winry to come with us. There a little boy at my Teacher's house who was beaten pretty bad, and his automail hands almost destroyed."

Winry tilt her head and said, "That's why you orginally called me?"

He nodded and said, "This kid was also doing alchemy without cirlces, so that means he's seen the bastard, Truth."

Mustang nodded and said, "Understood, I'll mark you two as on leave while you go on this endevor. So who is going with you?"

I replied, "Me, Ed, and Winry Sir. Al staying behind to help the others with their alchemy."

Mustang nodded and said, "Good, now we best be one our way. See you in the morning Joesph and bring some training clothing. Something you don't mind getting burned."

They exited and closed the door behind them.

Ed looked at Wheeler and asked, "How the hell did you get him to teach you?"

Wheeler shrugged his shoulders and said, "I really don't know, I just asked."

Ed groaned, "I've been asking him to teach me for years! This is so not fair!"

I couldn't help but give out a laugh.

Ed looked at me and said, "What are laughing at Seto...OWWWWWWWWW! WINRY YOU COULD GIVE ME A WARNING!"

Winry smiled and said, "Your arm's done. How's your leg?"

Ed replied, "It didn't get damaged."

Winry nodded and turned to me. "Guess that means you up Seto."

I groaned and said, "Let get this over with."

Winry took my arm out of my sling and saw the broken bits metal and missing screws.

Winry looked at me and asked, "Who was this guy?"

I replied, "An Ishvalen named Scar."

Yami asked, "What so significant about being Ishvalen?"

Ed replied, "They're all supose to be dead..."

The went quite once again.

I spoke up, "The Ishvalen War of Extemination. Back then alchemist were being used as human weapons, against the Ishvalen race who were revolting."

Ed sighed and said, "Mustang, Armstrong, Kimblee, Hawkeye, and Hughes, they all seen the horrors of the place as the tan sands dyed red with blood."

Tea gasped and said, "I never though...

" I nodded and said, "Yeah, I never would of guess it either by how they act, but if you bring up the subject the eyes run cold."

Ed replied, "As Hughes said, they all had the eyes of killers when they left that place."

I replied, "Yeah, but Kimblee was the worst."

Tristen asked, "Who's Kimblee?"

Ed sighed and said, "Major Solf J. Kimblee, The Crimson Alchemist. His specialty was making people into human bombs."

Yugi looked up and said, "He sounds horrible."

I nodded and said, "He got a thrill out killing. He actually killed his entire squad for fun. Now he's in Central Prision rotting away."

Winry pulled up on my arm and I yelled, "THAT STILL HURTS LIKE HELL!"

Winry snickered and said, "Well your all done. So when you guys are relesed, I'll be at the hotel waiting for you."

Winry opened the door and Wheeler walked out too.

Tristen asked, "Where are you going Joey?"

Wheeler smiled and said, "I've got to get ready for my lessons tomorrow."

Ed yelled, "Your one lucky bastard..."

Wheeler smirked and closed the door.


	13. Playing With Fire

**Chapter 13: Playing With Fire**

**JOEY WHEELER**

"Well, this is the place." I said as I stood in front of a large house.

I walked up to the door and knocked.

Mustang opened the door wearing a white t-shirt and a pair of black slacks.

He smirked and said, "Hello Joseph. Come on in. I been waiting for you."

I nodded and walked in. He's home wasn't very decorated, just a photo here and there and maybe a rug on the ground.

He took me into a room made completely out of stone. The walls themselves were covered in scorch marks.

He grabbed a few boxes and said, "I had this room made so I could practice my alchemy without catching my house un-fire. If you don't mind, please close the door."

I closed the door now realizing it was made completely out of metal.

He looked at me and said, "Before we begin, the knowledge you learn from me, is not to be taught to anyone, without explicit permission from me. I'd also like to add that fire can be deadly, so don't play around with it. Are we clear Joseph?"

I nodded and said, "Crystal sir! But you can call me Joey sir."

Mustang laughed and said, "Joseph sounds more sophisticated, plus if you get you license then, I be calling you by your code name instead."

The colonel pulled out a set of three identical targets and set them at the far end of the room.

Out of the second box he pulled out a two sets of gloves with transmutation circles sewn into them.

He tossed me a pair and asked, "How do you believe these gloves work?"

I looked at the gloves and the circles stitched into it. I replied, "The cloth is special, it creates a spark. With that single spark the circle allows you to control the flames its' created by directing it where you want it to go, how large, and hot it will be. Am I right?"

He shook his head and said, "I had forgotten you seen Truth, so the fundamentals are already there, you lack the understanding on how it's physically preformed."

Mustang looked at the targets and said, "Your alchemy produces heat, just like my own so, you flames will naturally burn hot."

He snapped his fingers and set the left target's head on fire. "Alright Joseph, put on the gloves and aim for the target in the center and only the center target."

I carefully slipped on the gloves on to my hands.

I looked at the Colonel and asked, "Wait, I can transmute without circles, why do I need them on the gloves?"

Mustang smirked and said, "You can transmute without circles with two hands, not one. This way you can transmute single handedly and get a little more power out of it, plus you need flame to work with as well."

I looked down at the center target and focused.

I snapped my fingers and they were all consumed in a fiery blast, that sent me flying a few feet back.

Mustang shook his head and said, "I'd figure that would happen. You put too much power in the first shot creating a huge uncontrolled flame. It was very good for a beginner."

He picked up a bucket of water and put out the targets.

He looked at me and said, "You need focus and precession when doing flame alchemy."

I felt my bangs fall down in front of my face again. Since I got here my hair had gotten a bit longer, it had become really annoying.

Mustang laughed and said, "No wonder you can't properly focus, you hair is completely out of order. It's blocking you vision and messing with you perception of the targets."

He took off his gloves and said, "Let's go manage you hair and then we can talk more on the physical part of flame alchemy."

* * *

"We almost Joey." Riza said as she chopped of more of my hair.

Mustang had given me his personal notes of the subject to read about while my hair was cut.

Apparently flame alchemy can only be preformed by alchemist who have a natural heat in their alchemy. Alchemist like that aren't very common, so it explains why Ed can't do it, and why Teacher refuses to teach him.

Mustang smirked and said, "Once we're done here, will give it another shot Joseph."

I looked up at Mustang and asked, "Sir if you don't mind me asking, who taught you in flame alchemy?"

Riza laughed and said, "My father created it and refused to teach him, but after his passing, I let him have access to his original notes which were tattooed on my back."

I sighed and said, "Just like Kaiba said, alchemist like hiding their research."

Mustang asked, "Okay riddle me this, why do you and you friends call him Kaiba while we're allowed to call him Seto?"

I smirked and said, "He usually hates it when someone calls him by his first name, he must really like you guys. The only one from back home, who ever actually did call him Seto, was Mokubia."

The name sent a bit of sadness into my face.

Riza said, "I never heard that name before. Who is that?"

I replied, "Kaiba's little brother..."

They got really quite.

"He died of an auto immune disease. Kaiba put all his time and money into trying to save him but in the end..."

I paused and said, "He died in Kaiba's arms..."

Riza shook her head and said, "It's sad to hear of someone dying so young."

I continued, "After that Kaiba secluded himself, he didn't go to school, work, or anything. We would check on him from time to time but, he would remain quite and stared into his locket."

"His eyes lost all their life, he seemed soulless almost. Then he did the unthinkable and the rest is history..."

Mustang nodded and said, "He must have loved him quite a bit to attempt human transmutation."

I nodded and said, "Mokubia was the only family he had, considering both their parents died in a car crash and they lived in a orphanage for most of their childhood. They stood by each other through thick and thin."

Riza smiled and said, "Sounds like Ed and Al."

I nodded and said, "That's why I think he let's them call him Seto, they must remind him of him and Mokubia."

Riza ran a towel over my shoulders and said, "All done Joey, go take a look."

I walked up to the mirror hanging on the wall. I looked at my reflection carefully.

My hair was now at a very short length that laid flat on my head. I actually brought out my jaw line quite a bit.

Mustang smirked and said, "Let's get back to the practice room. Hawkeye do you care to join us?"

She nodded and said, "Yes sir."

He nodded and said, "Good, the boy needs some accuracy."

* * *

**TWO WEEK LATER**

* * *

"Alright Joseph, aim for the center target." Teacher commanded.

I nodded and pint point on the center target. I snapped my fingers and flames ingulfed the center target.

Mustang nodded and said, "Good, now I want you to hit the target on the left where it's eyes would be, and only there."

I turned my attention to the left target and it's crudely drawn face. I gazed at it's sketched on eyes.

Pint point acuracy, requies more focus, less power.

I snapped my fingers and it's eyes lit up into small flames.

The Colonel smiled and said, "Nice work Joesph, now there is only two more things I can show you, then our training will be done, and you can take your final test."

He pulled out a book and some cloth.

He handed them to me and said, "This is a special material ingition cloth that you can transmute into gloves, it can only be bought in a small shop in East City, the book contains the knowlage of creating the cirlces for flame alchemy and where exactly to buy the cloth."

I smiled and said, "Thank you Teacher."

He nodded and said, "The last thing I'm going to teach you, is something I use in last resort. I'm going to show you how to make your flames absorb the oxgen in the air, rednoring your opponent breathless for a few moments. I warn you, if this is done wrong it can be letal. Understood?"

I nodded and said, "Yes sir."

He nodded and said, "Will be going outside for this test."

He opened one of the metal doors and lead me outside to his large backyard.

He looked up and said, "Watch closely."

He pulled his glove on tight and snapped his fingers once more.

The entire area above us caught fire.

I felt my breathing get heavy, and finding it harder to breathe.

The flames disapated and my breathing became easier.

I looked at him and said, "You don't look effected by that..."

He smirked and said, "That's because I've trained with this to the point were the lack of oxgen doesn't bother me. I just keep focused on my target."

He looked at me and said, "Now it's time for you demonstrate what you've learned."

I pulled my glove on tight and looked up. I am make a fire so hot the oxgen is absorbed.

I snapped my fingers and the area above us once again caught fire. And once again the air got lighter, until the flames dissipated away.

Mustang smiled and said, "That was perfect, now for your final exam. Fullmetal! Silver Sword! Get your asses out here! NOW!"

Ed and Kaiba walked out the door with my friends following behind them.

Kaiba smirked and said, "So we're the Colonel's final exam for you. This should be loads fun. Right Ed?"

Ed nodded and said, "Don't worry Joey we won't be too ruff on you."

The Colonel smiled and said, "For you exam you have to land a hit on either Fullmetal's right arm or left leg, and Silver Sword's right arm. If they get hit they stand out. If they get to you gloves and damage them or take them, you fail the test. You may use any of the techinces I've taught you execpt the last one for obivous reasons. You may begin when we are clear of the battle field."

The group backed up.

Ed and Kaiba pulled of their overcoats and over-shirts.

They had black tank tops on with there automail in full view.

Mustang nodded and said, "Begin!"

Kaiba and Ed immediatly begin transmuting their arms into blades.

I smirk and snapped my fingers.

A flame shot out and Ed and Kaiba jumped away from it.

Ed yelled, "You missed! HA!"

I shook my head and said, "No I didn't. Look at you leg Ed."

Ed looked down and saw a hole burnt through his pants.

He yelled, "God dammit!"

Kaiba jumped up and began to get in closer.

He knew the Colonel doesn't do well with close combat, but he didn't know about me.

I jumped up off his metal arm and snapped my fingers. A small black spot appeared on his arm.

Kaiba smirked and said, "Nice shot Mutt. You passed you test."

Mustang nodded and said, "Congratulations are in order Joseph, you are now a master in flame alchemy."

I smiled and said, "Thank you Teacher."

He nodded and said, "You should do great on the state's exam's next week my young pupil."

I smiled and said, "I hope we all do good."

Ed smirked and said, "You'll have to tell me, Seto, and Winry how it goes when we get back in two weeks."

Al nodded and said, "Be carful brother."

Ed smiled and said, "Don't worry Al. Will be fine."

Kaiba nodded and picked up his shirt.

He looked at Mustang and said, "We'll be back soon and have a full report Sir."

Mustang nodded and said, "Good, now Silver Sword, Fullmetal, try not to get yourselves killed."

Ed smirked as he was walking out the door and said, "Will do Colonel Bastard."


	14. The Alchemist Named Necro

**Chapter 14: The Alchemist Named Necro**

**EDWARD ELRIC**

We were almost to teacher's house when Winry asked, "Hey Ed, why are you so scared of your Teacher?"

I sighed and said, "You'll see."

Seto and I had our hoods pulled up as the rained poured down.

Winry carried an umbrella along with her tools.

We approached the butcher shop with Sid sweeping out on front porch.

He waved and said, "Hey Ed! Your finally here!"

Teacher ran out of the shop and towards me and Seto.

She immedatily brought us to the ground and yelled, "WHAT TOOK YOU IDIOTS SO LONG TO GET HERE?!"

I yelled, "We're sorry Teacher, but we didn't expect to be attacked by a serical killer. We were the hostpital for nearly a month."

She got up and said, "Lucky, Necro is still here and healed up, his hands are pretty trashed though."

Winry stepped up and said, "Would you please take me to him?"

Teacher asked, "Who is this?"

I replied, "Winry Rockbell meet me and Al's teacher, Izumi Curtis. Teacher meet, me and Seto automail mechanic, Winry Rockbell."

Teacher nodded and said, "Right, please follow me."

We began walking into the shop.

"So anything particual about this kid we should know about, besides the obvious?" Seto asked.

Teacher replied, "He won't take the wrags of his face with people around, he really doesn't talk much, and he's appearntly homeless."

We walked in the room to see a the young boy looking at a book, happily reading away.

Teacher laughed and said, "Also when it comes to books, he acts like you and Ed. Like he's in another world."

Teacher walked up and said, "Necro, we have an automail mechanic here to fix your hands."

He looked at her and asked in a srcathy voice, "Do they know about..."

I replied, "Yeah, we know Necro but Teacher didn't tell us."

He looked up and asked, "Then how did..." Seto and I pulled off our gloves showing our own automail.

Seto replied, "We've both seen Truth as well."

He looked up and said, "You two did it too. You tried to bring someone back."

I replied, "Actually me and my brother tried it together. My friend here did it on his own."

Winry sighed and said, "Necro, let's get to work on your hands. Can you please take off your jacket?"

He looked up and asked, "Can you please help me, Ms. Izumi?"

She smiled and said, "Sure thing young one."

She peeled of the dirty shirt revealing his two automail hands, and long series of scars running up his arms.

Winry looked at him and asked, "What happened? Did the people who are after you do this?"

He shook his head and replied, "My step father was very abusive to me and my older brother. He would lash at us with a metal belt when we did something wrong."

I asked, "How the hell did he even get you guys?"

Necro replied as Winry began working on his hands, "We only had him as a step father because, he was our uncle and our parents died in a house fire. It was later revealed that our uncle started the fire to gain our parents money, but he didn't know they left the money to my brother."

Seto sighed and said, "Sounds a lot like my father."

Necro continued, "Once our Uncle was arested, my brother took over his book shop in Liore called, 'Silver Dragon Book Shop and Alchemic Emporium'."

"We spent all day reading, playing, and running the store. He taught me alchemy in our spare time."

I looked at him and asked, "Why did you leave?"

He looked down and said, "One day my brother was walking with me to the park, when a man with hair in long spikes and black eyes step up to him. He wanted my brother to give him our money."

"Brother always kept a knife in his boot just in case, but when he went to pull it out..."

The wrags on his face began to dampen with tears. He cried out, "The man pulled out a gun and shot him in the head..."

"And walked away..."

"I was sitting there with my brother's blood spalter on my face..."

Izumi whispered out, "My god..."

He looked up and said, "I was alone and the shop closed down. I wanted my brother back so bad. So when I was 8, I began studying human transmutation and after 2 years, I attempted it. I tried to bring back my big brother."

He looked at his hands and said, "The worst part was the thing I made..."

"Wasn't even human...It looked nothing like Seto..."

Seto? His brother's name is Seto...

I looked at Seto who looked completely shocked.

He mumbled out, "Would your last name happened to be Kaiba?"

He looked up and asked, "How do you know that? I burned me and my brother's birth certificates. One of the reasons the military is after me."

Seto pulled down his hood.

Necro eyes widen and said, "No..."

"It's not possible..."

"It failed..."

"It can't be..."

I looked at Seto who eyes were just as wide.

Seto replied, "Is this...even possible..."

"Is that really you...Mokubia..."

Mokubia?!

Seto's dead brother from a different world...

How the hell is here, let alone alive?!

Necro looked at Winry and asked, "Can you take this cloth off my face please?"

Winry took the flithy rag and revealed Necro's face.

He had long black hair, pulled back in a low ponytail, bright violet eyes, and a long scar running down his cheek.

Seto eyes began to water and he smiled and said, "Mokubia...It is you!"

Necro cried, "Seto..."

I yelled, "HOW THE HELL IS THIS EVEN POSSIBLE?!"

Seto looked at me and said, "This world, must be like a mirror only things reverse here. Instead of Mokubia dying like back in my home, I died here or should I say an alternate version of me. It all sounds like scince fiction but it's the only answer I have."

Necro looked up at him and said, "So your from a different world? That means you traveled through..."

Seto replied, "The Gate, yeah..."

Necro looked up and said, "The other me...you tried to bring him back..."

Seto nodded and said, "I couldn't live without you, I wasn't eating, sleeping, or doing anything. My whole world turned gray, until I found an book about alchemy and..."

"Well the you know the results..."

Seto sat down next to Necro and gave him a hug.

Necro said with tears brimming his eyes, "I missed you Seto..."

Seto smiled as the tears rolled down his face and said, "I'll never leave you alone again...little brother..."

Izumi smiled and said, "This maybe the strangest thing that has ever happened, but I'm kind of glad it did."

I nodded and said, "They been living in a hell for a long time, and now a little bit of it has faded away."

* * *

After a while, Necro and Seto learned about their alternate counterparts and their failed attempts to bring them back.

Necro looked at Seto and said, "So you and your friend are alchemist."

I corrected him, "We're state alchemist to be precise."

Necro look up and said, "Your dogs of the military? The other you, hated the miltary, especailly during the whole Ishval conflict."

Seto smirked and said, "Like I said eariler, I'm from a different world. I didn't join to fight, I joined in hopes of finding my way home, and help Ed and Al get their bodies back."

He looked at Seto and asked, "Who Ed and Al?"

Winry attached the nerves in his hands.

He cringed a bit but didn't yell in pain.

I smirked and said, "Your one tuff kid. I always yelled when I get that dam nerve attached."

He yelled, "I'M NOT A DAM KID! I'M 15 YEARS OLD!"

I smiled and said, "Yeah, I get that a lot too. By the way I'm Edward Elric, my younger brother is Alphosne. Seto has been helping us to find a way to get our bodies back, from that bastard, Truth."

Necro looked at me and said, "Your The Fullmetal Alchemist, the youngest state alchemist in history!"

I smiled and said, "Yup, and Seto here is, The Silver Sword Alchemist."

Necro smiled and said, "Wow that's amazing..."

He looked at Seto and said, "That means you have to go back to Central right?"

Seto nodded and said, "I do."

Necro began to tear up as he said, "Seto, I can't go with you..."

Seto looked at him and asked, "Why Mokuba? Why can't you?"

He lifted up his shirt showing a large bandage covering his ribs.

He sighed and said, "These homonuclii, like Greed, they want me for some reason. They sent a chimera after me and it nearly killed me."

"Luckly, Ms. Izumi saved me. Those guys think I'm dead, it's probably best, that it stays like that."

Seto looked at him and said, "I hate to admit it but, your right. But I promise as soon as I deal with those bastards, It will be me and you."

Necro smiled and said, "Yeah, Seto."

I looked at Teacher and said, "You know, he could be your student until we deal with these guys Teacher."

She smirked and said, "Not a bad idea my idiot student."

She stepped forward and said, "What do you say Mokuba? Do you want to learn my style of alchemy?"

He nodded and said, "Yes Ms. Izumi, but no one but Seto really calls me Mokuba. Everyone just calls me Necro. It's my middle name and it kind of stuck to me more than Mokubia did."

She nodded and said, "Alright, but from now on it's not, Ms. Izumi. It's Teacher and as soon as your brother leaves you will begin your training."

Seto smiled and said, "We're here for another 4 days, then we have to head back to Central."

Necro looked at me and asked, "So what kind of reseach do you guys do?"

I stopped for a moment and said, "We did do reseach on the Philospher's Stone, but we stopped after we found out what..."

Winry tossed a wrench at my head and yelled, "Why did you idiots stop reseaching it?! It maybe the only way you can get you bodies back you idiots!"

I yelled back, "It's made of human lives! It's a dam stone soaked in the blood of hundreds and even thousands of innocent people..."

Winry sat back in horror said, "My god..."

I whispered, "We're going to get our bodies back, but I'm not using it..."

Necro curled closer to Seto and said, "If anyone can figure it out, it be you Seto and The Elrics."

Seto smiled and said, "Thanks Mokie."

Teacher smiled and said, "I'm going to make dinner."

Winry jumped up and said, "Please allow me to help. I could make desert."

Seto and I looked at each other and smiled.

Necro looked up and asked, "What is making you two smile like idiots?"

I repied, "When you have Winry's apple pie, you'll see why."

Necro smiled and said, "I haven't had pie in a long time."

Seto smiled and said, "Well looks like today is your lucky day."

I looked up on the shelf and saw a camera. I

picked it up and said, "How about a photo?"

Necro smiled and said, "That sounds nice. Take two so both me and Seto have a copy."

They sat together and Necro held up a piece sign.

I took the took photos and they printed out.

I shook them both until they developed and gave a copy to both of them.

Seto smiled and said, "They are going to freak when they see this."


	15. State Alchemist

_AN: I know it skips around a lot in the story and I've left out some bits. But I'm currently re-watching the series, and there are something's I would like to leave out. It may appear later as a flashback or something else. And before anyone says anything, yes I killed Hughes before the first Scar attack on Ed and Seto, I meant it to be that way that way, there's not a huge sad series of chapters, but a little variety. I personally want to thank you for reading and dealing with my mistakes and jumping around. (Mainly because my favorite coffee shop now closes when I get out of school, and I'm suffering from caffeine deprivation. It made me very mad, but I will still drink their coffee. Good coffee is hard to come by, what can I say.) I promise it's going to get a heck lot more interesting in the next couple chapters. I do want to asked you as a reader to please review. I love hearing from my readers and enjoy a bit of constructive critism. But please don't be hateful, if you don't like it. I had a bad experince with a reviewer who gave me a horrible review on one of my other stories and then sent a large amount of hate PM's most which they told me to go die in a hole (That was the only clean message, the others had a curse word after every other word). I hope the rest of the story will catch you attention. So read on! It's about to get intersting for our heroes, and a few suprises await them too._

_Signed,_

**_SHADOW OF EYES_**

_P.S. Please tell me what you think of my portrailal of Seto, and what you think of Necro. Those are the two I'm worried the most about. Thanks!_

_Also tell me what you think about, my love/hate relationship with a coffee shop that shall not be named._

_:P_

* * *

**Chapter 15: State Alchemist**

**YUGI MOTOU**

"Man, I hate waiting!" Joey said as he laid down on the sofa of our hotel room.

Tea smiled and said, "I know your excited to see the results. We all are, but you have to be patient."

Al looked up at me and asked, "Brother and Seto are supose to be back today right?"

I nodded and said, "Yeah, but it's too bad Winry had to go back to Risembool."

Yami nodded and said, "Right, but now we need to get back to bussiness. Yugi try making a weapon of some sort. Something that suits you and you can easily use."

I nodded and thought carefully, then perfect the idea popped into my head.

I clapped my hands together and began transmuting.

My weapon began to rise from the ground. It was a staff with two swords on it. One sword on each end of the staff.

Yami smirked and said, "It's agile and great for defensive moves. Nice choice Yugi."

I nodded and a knock came at the hotel door.

Tristen opened it and The Colonel, Riza, Kaiba, and Ed came walking in.

Ed looked at my blade staff and said, "Nicely done, but you need to thin it out in the center or you won't be able to carry it."

Mustang was holding a letter and Riza was holding 5 wooden boxes which she sat on the table.

Mustang smiled and began to read the letter, "By order of Furher King Bradly, I give to Joesph Wheeler, Tea Gardner, Tristen Taylor, Yugi Motou, and Yami Motou the rank of a Major, and you a silver pocket watch as your badge of office. From this day forth you are all state alchemist for the military state of Amestris and have access to the restricted libraries and alchemic knowledge."

We all cheered in excitement.

Mustang picked up a box and hand it to each of us as he said, "I will now give you your watches and titles."

"Tea you have been given the title, The Iron Ivy Alchemist."

"Tristen you're, The Static Alchemist."

"Yugi your title is, The Steadfast Alchemist."

"Yami you are, The Crystal Blade Alchemist."

"And Joseph your title is The Combustion Alchemist."

He saluted us and said, "Congratulations to you all, you have just became dogs of the military."

I opened the box and found the silver pocket watch idenical to Ed's and Kaiba's, that proved my idendity as a state alchemist.

Joey smiled and said, "This is so freakin' cool!"

Riza smiled and said, "Your uniforms will be here by the end of the day."

Joey looked up Mustang asked, "Hey why do we get uniforms and they get to wear what they want?"

Ed smirked and said, "Because of our automail arms. The uniforms constrict our arms preventing us from doing alchemy. We have to wear a certain material or the arm will be constricted."

Mustang shook his head and said, "As ridiculous as it sounds he's right. The uniforms mess with automail arms, no problem with legs through. Your now military now, so uniforms are required."

Major Armstrong walked in the door carrying five clear bags.

He smiled and said, "Good morning! Here are your uniforms, my new fellow alchemist. Your names are on the bags to identify which is yours. Um, Colonel I need to tell you..."

Mustang held his hand up and said, "Grab your uniforms and see how they fit soldiers."

We each grabbed our individual bag and looked at the dark blue uniforms.

Tristen smirked and said, "It reminds me of our school uniforms."

Tea nodded and said, "Well let's see how they fit."

We all took turns walking into the back room and putting on our uniforms.

I looked at the blue uniform that I now wore.

It was dark blue color with white and gold accents at the sleeves and collar, the jacket length went down to my knee caps to where you could see the dark blue pants, and as part of the uniform was a pair of black leather boots.

Ed smirked and said, "You are definatly miltary dogs now. Especially after your martial training."

Riza walked over to Tea, who was messing with a strap on her jacket, and said, "It's probably a good idea to pull up your hair up or cut it, you get it caught on your uniform."

She looked at Riza and said, "I'd like to keep my hair, so can you help me with the hair Lieutenant?"

She smirked and said, "Yes Ma'am, right away."

She began pull Tea's hair into a bun, when Tea asked, "Why did she call me Ma'am? I'm much younger than her."

Kaiba smirked and said, "Technically, you out rank her, so she showing you the proper respect you deserve Major Gardner."

Tea sighed and said, "This is weird."

I nodded and said, "Yeah, it's pretty weird."

Riza tied off the bun, leaving a strand or two hanging from the front.

She smiled and asked, "How do I look?"

Riza smiled and said, "It's a good look for you."

Mustang looked at Kabia and Ed and asked, "So what do you have to report about this Necro boy?"

Kaiba let out a smirk and said, "It almost unbeliveable, but here what happened..."

* * *

**MOMENTS LATER**

* * *

We all stood there completely dumbfounded.

Joey looked at me and asked, "Is he joking or something? Because this would be a very sick joke..."

Kaiba pulled out a picture and layed it on the table.

It was a picture of Kaiba and Mokubia, both with tank tops on and their automail fully exposed...

Mokubia WITH AUTOMAIL?!

I looked more carfully at Mokubia, who I now noticed had his hair pulled back in a low hanging ponytail, scars on his arms and on his cheek. He also looked a bit older.

This isn't the Mokubia we knew...

Joey said in complete shock, "That's Mokubia...but's also not Mokubia..."

He yelled out, "HOW THE HELL DOES THAT WORK?!"

Kaiba smirked and said, " This world, it's like a mirror only things reverse here. Instead of phychics, in this world alchemy is supreme. Instead of this version of Mokubia dying, the alternate version of myself died. It's a nearly a mirror in certain parts. Other parts, well not so much."

I look up at Kaiba and asked, "Does he act like Mokubia?"

Kaiba picked up the photo and said, "Some ways yes, but he older here, about 15 years old. He know how to fight and taught himself all the alchemy he knows."

"He doesn't let people call him by his first name, with the exception of me. He goes by his middle name, Necro."

"He's lived with automail hands since he was 10 years old. He's Mokubia and he's not."

Kaiba gave a small smile and said, "But I really don't care. He's back and that make all the difference."

Al looked up at him and asked, "So where is he?"

Ed replied, "People we're after him, so he's staying it Dublith, and learning a bit of alchemy from Teacher."

I look up and said, "She put you on a deserted island for a month. Doesn't that mean..."

Ed fell to the floor and said, "Well Necro is going to be in for a suprise..."

Kaiba shook his head and said, "Well he'll figure it out, alchemy is like second nature to him."

Mustang look at Armstong and said, "You wanted to tell me something Armstrong, well now's the time."

Armstrong sighed and said, "We found the lab where Machon's lab was. It was buried deep, but there is a secret fifth labratory near Central Prison."

He looked up and said, "That's it. That's where they been making them. Prisoners are excuted on a daily baises, they could easily get them into the lab and make the imperfect stone."

He looked at us and said, "Combustion, Crystal Blade, Silver Sword, Havoc, Hawkeye, and I will go there tonight for a recon mission."

Joey smirked and said, "We haven't been alchemist for what, an hour and we're already have our first mission."

Yami smirked and said, "Well it does give me a chance to try my new leg in action."

Mustang looked at the three and said, "Meet us in front of Central command at 8 o' clock. Don't be late. Understood soldiers?!"

They all three, saluted and said, "Yes, Colonel Mustang, Sir!"

He nodded and said, "We'll be leaving now. As for the rest of you, I want you at Central Command first thing tomorrow moring for protocal breifing. Are we clear?"

We all nodded and saluted Mustang except Ed.

Ed looked up at him and said, "Sure thing Colonel Bastard. We'll be there."


	16. The Eyes of Killers

**Chapter 16: The Eyes of Killers**

**YAMI MOTOU/ YAMI YUGI**

"You know those are going to kill you one day. Why don't you give them up Havoc?" Hawkeye asked as we rode in the car.

Havoc sneered and said, "Like I give a damn. I've always have smoked and always will."

He pulled out cigarette from his coat pocket and asked Joey, "Mind lilting this for me?"

Joey shook his head and said, "I don't lite death sticks, especially with flame alchemy. Like Hawkeye says, they will kill you someday."

Havoc snickered and said, "Fine, I'll use my lighter. It really not a big damn deal."

He quickly pulled out his silver flip lighter, lit his cigarette, and began smoking out the window.

Kaiba looked back at him from the front seat, and asked, "Does that girl you're dating, know you smoke Jean? Surely she doesn't approve. "

Havoc laughed and said, "She has no clue I'm a smoker. I know it's not polite to smoke in front of a date, so if I want a chance with her, I need to be the perfect gentleman."

The car began to pull over in front a small building right next to the prison. It was covered in broken boards and 'keep out' signs.

Hawkeye looked back and said, "We're here. Everybody lock and load."

Havoc and Hawkeye loaded their pistols and placed extra clips on their hips.

Mustang and Joey slipped on their alchemy gloves.

Mustang looked back at us and said, "Remember this is recon, don't be seen. If you are try not to alert anyone else by rendering them unconscious or as a last resort, dead."

Kaiba looked up and said, "That's definitely last resort. I don't want blood on my hands."

We all exited the car as fast as we could and quietly made our way to the building.

The door was padlocked closed.

Joey smiled and said, "Allow me."

He snapped his fingers and the lock fell off with an orange glow.

Kaiba sneered, "Show off."

There was only one flight of stairs down and one hallway that spilt in two different directions.

Mustang whispered, "Havoc and Combustion, you with me. Hawkeye, Silver Sword, and Crystal Blade, you go the right. We'll go to the left. We'll meet back here in 15 minutes. If any of us are not here, the other group will call it in and then goes looking for the others."

I nodded and them we all spilt up into our groups. We walked down the seemingly endless hallway for 10 minutes, when we came across a single room.

We walked in to see the room was completely white with a lone door sitting in the back.

I whispered to Kaiba, "It looks a lot like..."

"So glad you can join me boys..." We turned around to see a woman dressed in a long, strap-less, black dress with a pair of long black gloves to match. Her long black hair spiraled down her face showing her soulless eyes. On the center of her chest was a ouroburous tattoo.

I transmuted a crystal sword from the ground.

Kaiba transmuted his arm and took out his kriss blade.

She laughed and said, "You it's not polite to stare at a woman's chest, boys."

Her fingers grew like daggers and tried to pierce us. I dodged but Kaiba got hit in his automail, knocking some wires loose.

Hawkeye fired her gun and the bullet landed right in between her eyes.

The woman laughed and said, "Do you really think that will kill me? pathetic human."

The bullet fell out of her face and her skin began to regrow. Kaiba yelled, "She's a homunculus. She can't die!"

She laughed and said, "Yes, I am a homunculus. I am Lust."

She looked at us and said, "It's a pity that I can't kill you, considering I just got rid of sacrifices. Oh well, at least I get to kill the woman and mane you two beyond recognition."

She killed two potential sacrifices...

Who was...

No...

I yelled, "You didn't!"

Riza looked at her and said, "Wait a minute... So when you said you'd already had to kill someone... It can't be... You didn't-"

She laughed at me and said, "It was fun to see their faces as I rendered their alchemy useless with a bit of water, and then pierced them to a wall. They should have bled out by now. So ends the famous Flame Alchemist and his apprentice, for they now rest in a shallow grave."

Hawkeye screamed out, "YOU BITCH! WAHHHHHH!"

Hawkeye fires her guns over and over into Lust body.

Lust quickly regenerates and said, "Such a sad and weak creäture... Another typical human."

Kaiba face filled with rage, as did mine. Hawkeye, for the first time I had ever seen, she had fallen to her knees was crying.

I yelled, "You killed my friends! For that you will pay homunculus!"

Lust laughed and said, "Fine, this should be fun..."

Lust erupted in a huge cloud of fire.

When her body began regenerating, she yelled, "WHO THE HELL DID THAT?!"

I looked to see Joey and Mustang standing at the door. They were completely soaked in water and blood.

Mustang held Havoc's lighter, and both Joey and the Colonel's hands had the fire alchemic symbol carved into it with blood drizzling down it.

Lust yelled, "How the hell are you two alive?!"

Mustang lit the lighter and Joey directed the flames on to her.

Mustang said, "We have a knives in our boots." They lit her in flame again making the smell of burning flesh fill the room.

Joey said, "We carved the symbol into our hands."

They burned even more of her flesh.

Mustang gave a small smirk and said, "I nearly pasted out from the pain of the metal running through my flesh. After we carved it, we used flame alchemy to burn our wounds closed."

She laughed and said, "Impressive, but still you can't kill me. I'm immortal thanks to the Philosopher's Stone in my chest."

Joey said solemnly, "Everything dies, even you."

He held up his bloodied hand and said, "You told me we couldn't kill you... but we would like to try to prove you wrong. So let's see... How many times is it gonna take?!"

They burned her and burned her, over and over for minutes on end in huge clouds of flame.

Finally she laid on the floor dissolving into pieces of ash.

She gave a small laugh and said, "You two killed me. I hate losing... but there are worse ways to die than at the hands of men like you."

"I love how cold and focused both your eyes are."

"I look forward... to the day when those eyes will be wide with agony..."

"It's coming... It's coming..."

Mustang looked at her and said, "Rot in hell."

She closed her eyes and turned into a pile of ash and dust.

The Philosopher's Stone fell to the ground and dissolved into dust with her.

Kaiba stared in amazement at the pile of dust and said, "She's really gone...Homunculi can be killed..."

Mustang looked at Hawkeye and said, "Radio in, Havoc's hurt, bad!"

Riza wiped away her tears, saluted, and ran out the door.

Joey looked at the pile of dust.

Dark circle appeared under his eyes which seem to have lost all life to them.

I looked at him and asked, "Joey are you okay?"

He whispered, "I...I k-killed h-her...I k-killed s-someone..."

Kaiba looked at Joey, while still holding his arm and said, "She was going to kill us, it was self-defense."

Joey looked at him and yelled, "I KILLED HER! WHAT HAPPENED CAN'T BE UNDONE!"

He looked down and said, "My hands will never be clean...Ever again...I took away someone's life..."

Mustang walked over and pulled up Joey's chin.

He looked at the circles under his eyes and said, "I felt what your feeling right now, but you know she wasn't human, she wanted to kill you, to kill you friends. You stood up and defended them."

"Major Joseph Wheeler, you are not a killer, you are a protector of the innocent."

Tears rolled down Joey's face as he said, "She wasn't a human being, but I still killed her, and there's no turning back from that. I took a way a life... I killed..."

Mustang sighed and said, "The death's I've caused still weigh heavy on my heart, but you must not let them weigh you down. Be strong..."

Kaiba looked over at me and said, "We should go, he needs time to figure this out."

Kaiba and I walked out of the room as Mustang talked to Joey still.

As we walked down the hall, Kaiba asked, "Did you see his eyes?"

I nodded and said, "It was like he lost all his life."

Kaiba looked up and said, "That's what Mustang and the solders at Ishval call, the eyes of a killer. Once you seen death, cause by your own hands, there's no turning back. No matter what you do, that blood is stained on you for life."

I looked down and said, "Joey, was always a strong person and did what need to be done, but this may just change him."

Kaiba nodded and said, "Death will do that to you. Lucky Mustang is in there with him. Mustang has cause his fair share of deaths in the Ishvalen War."

We found ourselves at the steps with our friends running down with a medical crew.

I said, "Havoc is in the room down that way, he's hurt badly. The Colonel and Combustion are in the opposite direction with severe burns. Silver Sword just needs his automail repaired."

The medics nodded and made their ways down the halls.

Ed looked at us and asked, "What the hell happened?"

Kaiba replied, "It was a trap, a homunculus named Lust was waiting for us. She would have killed us if it weren't for Wheeler and the Colonel."

Mustang and Joey began walking by with the medics at their sides. Joey still had the dark circles under his eyes.

Al looked at me and said, "You mean he..."

I nodded and said, "He saved our lives, but what he did will change him forever."

Ed looked back up Joey as he limped up the steps.

Tristan looked at me and asked, "What did he do?!"

Joey looked down at them from the top of the steps, with the dark circles under his eyes and said, "I spilled the blood of a living being...and there's no turning back from that...Not ever..."

Joey turned around and began limping toward the vehicle once again.

Yugi looked at me with his eyes wide and asked, "Did he really do that? Did he really"

Yugi paused for a moment and then said, "...kill?"

I sighed and said, "She may have been a homunculus, but blood is still blood. He chose to defend us at the cost of taking a life. In his mind, he took away someone's life which no one can bring back."

Tristan shook his head and said, "No wonder he's practically beating himself up."

Ed looked at me and said, "He will never be the same for certain."

Al looked at Ed and said, "What will happen to him brother?"

Ed looked at Al and said, "As much of a bastard Mustang is, he knows how to deal with death. As long Joey listens, Mustang can really help him."

More medics came by with Havoc in their arms.

He was sitting up with a lit cigarette in his mouth.

A large red splotch covered his stomach, with black scorch marks.

He groaned and said, "I still can belive that Solaris was a homunculus, and I freakin' dated her."

I looked at Havoc and asked, "How bad are you hurt?"

He looked up and said, "Well I can't feel my legs..."


	17. My Computer is an Idiot!

Yeah, my computer is an idiot and accidently wiped my story. I have more I promise, it will just take a while to rewrite all the chapters I lost.

Signed

SHADOW OF EYES


	18. The Unexpected Transmutation

_A/N: Sorry it too so long!_

**Chapter 17: The Unexpected Transmutation**

**SETO KAIBA**

"Man, I still can believe Havoc is paralyzed from the waist down." I said as Ed, Al, and I walked through the hospital hallway.

My automail rested in a sling, while in my other hand I carried the broken pieces in a small bag.

Ed nodded and said, "It's been two months since the first diagnosis, they said he'll never walk again. He told me that he's going back to his families' genral good store."

I shook my head and said, "I hate to see him go, but I won't miss the smell of cigarettes rolling through the office."

Ed nodded and said, "It's a good thing we called Winry up here."

I sighed and said, "Yeah, but she doing a check up on Yami's leg. She's going to flip when she see's my automail..."

Al laughed and said, "Don't worry Seto, it just her way of showing she cares..."

Ed opened the door of Mustang's and Wheeler's room and we walked in.

Mustang and Hawkeye were looking over some files, while Mustang finished putting on his uniform.

Wheeler was putting his uniform on without uttering a single word to anyone.

He had been very quite, since he came back from the 5th laboratory. He's a changed man, that's for certain.

Yugi, Tea, and Tristen were talking to one another at a small table.

Yami sat in a chair while, Winry looked over his automail.

She smiled and said, "Yami, you leg is in perfect condition and ready to go."

Ed smiled and said, "Hey Winry!"

She smiled and said, "Hey Ed, Al, Seto..."

She looks at my arm and yelled, "OH NO!"

I said, "Yeah, sorry it's a little smashed up."

I held out the bag of pieces and said, "But I got all the pieces through..."

Winry glared at me and said, " 'A little smashed up'? 'A little'? Seto, do you see what you've done to my beautiful creation; I slaved over this!"

I remarked and said, "It's basically the same, it's just in smaller pieces."

She picked up a wrench and said, "You did not just say that?!"

I looked at Ed and said, "Help!"

Ed placed his hands on the wall and transmuted it.

I think he was trying to make the wall move in front of us, but I'm not quite sure, because the wrench hit my head.

Ed looked at me and said, "What went wrong with my transmutation?"

I looked up at him and said, "Ah, hell..."

Ed looked at what I was looking at.

Someone drew a transmutation circle on the ceiling, and what was worse, Ed had activated it.

The room began to flood with the unnatural alchemic light.

I saw as the light touched them, they began to deconstruct.

It finally reached me and I felt my self dissolve into the light.

Then everything when black.

* * *

"Oh my God! It's them, it's really them!" A voice said.

I slowly opened my eyes and said, "Who ever drew that dam transmutation circle on the ceiling, is a dead man..."

"Transmutation circle? What are you talking about Kaiba boy?"

I knew that annoying voice anywhere.

My vision cleared up, and I saw a group standing around me, and the Amestrian group, who were all past out.

There stood, Mr. Motou, Mai, Serenity, Duke, Bakura, Ishizu, Marik, and Pegasus, all staring down at us.

I looked around and saw that we were in Pegasus's castle, at Duelist Kingdom.

I said a bit disturbed, "We're back...Back here...How..."

Mai looked at me and said, "We were hoping you knew. We came here, to look for you guys, and then all of a sudden, a weird blue light filled the room, and you guys with these other people, were laying in the floor, completely knocked out cold."

I sighed and said, "The alchemical reaction must have rendered us unconscious momentarily by traveling through the circle. They should be waking up fairly soon."

Duke looked at the group and asked, "Any clue what he just said?"

The shook their heads.

I placed my good hand on my face and then said, "They past out from the pain of traveling through the portal."

"Seto?"

I turned my head and saw Al sitting up.

Bakura looked at him and said, "He has the voice of a little kid."

I replied, "Well, he is only 14."

Duke said, "Your 14?!"

Al nodded and said, "Yes, and my brother is 16."

I looked at Al and asked, "Alphonse, are you alright?"

He nodded and said, "I think so."

I looked at Ed and said, "Try to wake Ed up, see if he's okay."

He nodded and shook Ed's shoulders. "Brother you need to wake up."

Ed groaned and said, "Five more minutes Mom..."

Al stopped for a moment and then went back to shaking him.

"Ed, Mom's not here, you need to wake up."

Ed's golden eyes shot open.

He took one look around and said, "Where the hell are we and who the hell are these people?"

I replied, "My world..."

Ed looked at me and said, "You mean we crossed dimensions..."

I nodded and said, "I'm still going to kill who ever drew that circle when we get back to Central."

"You and me both, Kaiba."

Wheeler sat up with a groan and said, "I think my wound reopened when we deconstructed..."

Serenity's eyes filled with tears and she knelt down and hugged him.

Wheeler looked at her with surprise, joy, and pain, all at once.

"Serenity, I missed you too, but remember how I just said, my wound reopened. It really hurt me when your hugging this hard..."

Wheeler said with a quiver of pain running through his body.

Serenity back away and said, "I'm sorry Joey, I just missed my big brother..."

He smiled and said, "And I, my little sister."

A small red splotch appeared on his shoulder.

He looked at me and said, "We should check on Teacher, he's wound may have reopened as well."

Mustang sat on my left and I said, "Colonel Mustang, you need to wake up."

Mustang's eyes opened and he said, "Silver Sword? Where the hell are we?"

Wheeler replied, "It's our world, but that not important right now."

"Teacher, did you wound reopened?"

He looked at his stomach and a scarlet spot had appeared and was growing larger.

He nodded and said, "We need bandages, to close off the wound."

Ishizu nodded and said, "I saw a first aid kit in the hallway, I'll be right back."

I looked at them and said, "The bandages will help, but how do you intend to stop the bleeding? Your wounds are near your arteries and can't be stopped by pure pressure."

Mustang sighed and said, "I hoped, I would never need to do this again. You ready for this Combustion?"

Wheeler nodded and said, "This is going to hurt like hell but yeah, I'm ready..."

Mustang pulled on his glove and snapped his fingers.

A small fire ignited on Wheeler's shoulder, burning the wound closed, while he shutter with pain.

Serentity screamed in terror.

Duke yelled, "He burned the wound closed, with magic?!"

Ed and I both yelled, "IT'S NOT MAGIC, IT'S ALCHEMY, YOU IDIOT!"

"Who called alchemy, magic this time?"

Yugi sat up, just in time to see the Colonel, burn his bleeding stomach closed.

Yugi groaned and said, "The wounds reopened, didn't they? Dammit, you guys need to be more careful..."

Pegasus looked down and asked, "I'm sorry but, who are you?"

Yugi look at him in surprise and said, "I knew I changed a lot, but I still can't believe you don't recognized me..."

Marik looked him over carefully and said, "Is that you Yugi?"

Yugi smiled and said, "It's good to see you Marik."

Mr. Motou looked at Yugi with tears in his eyes and said, "I thought I lost you, Yugi..."

Yugi smiled and said, "I wasn't lost, just misplaced."

Ishizu walked back in with bandages and said, "Here, other than band-aids, I know nothing on medicine."

Mustang nodded and said, "Don't worry ma'am I've got this covered."

He pulled off his gloves and began wrapping the gauze on his stomach and Wheeler's shoulder.

Duke walked over to were Hawkeye laid and said, "So who are these..."

Hawkeye stood behind him with the barrel of her gun pointed at his skull.

She said calmly, "Don't move or I'll shoot."

Duke yelled with terror, "Someone get the lady with gun away from me!"

Mustang yelled, "Lieutenant, stand down. These are friends of Silver Sword and the others."

Riza holster her gun and said, "Yes Sir."

Duke looked at the lieutenant and said, "I'm sorry I scared you and all, but did you really need to pull out the gun?"

She gave a soft smile and said, "I'm sorry as well, it's part of my martial training to aim first, ask questions later. I didn't mean to frighten you."

I looked at Riza and asked, "Do you think you can help me up, Riza? It's kind of hard to get up with one arm."

She smiled and said, "Sure thing Seto."

She helped me get to my feet, only to have a wrench knock me back to the ground.

Mai looked at me and asked, "Who threw a wrench? More importantly why at Kaiba?"

"SETO!"

Winry ran over and yelled, "Seto Kaiba, if you break one more bolt on my automail, I swear you regret the day, you met me!"

I rubbed my head and said, "Winry I'm sorry. It's not like I did it on purpose!"

Winry yelled, "It's a good thing we're in a hospital, because when I'm done with you..."

Ed yelled, "Winry, were not in Central hospital anymore..."

She looked around and saw the group, staring at her.

"Oh my. I feel really embarrassed for doing that now..."

Mai said, "What did Kaiba, do to make you so mad?"

"He broke her automail, which by the way, I think mine detached..."

Yami sat up with his choppy blonde hair ruffled up and he was gripping his left leg.

The group looked at him and back at Yugi.

Serentity said with shock, "Why is there two Yugi?!"

Yami smiled and said, "That's where your wrong, I'm not Yugi."

Yugi smiled and said, "This is Yami, he use to be bound to the millennium puzzle."

Marik looked at him and said, "You two are separate now..."

They nodded and Yugi said, "Let's get Tristen and Tea up."

We woke the two up and they stared in shock of where they were.

Winry walked over to Yami and said, "So you think the nerve disconnected?"

He nodded and said, "I can't move my leg at all."

Pegasus said, "I'll call a doctor and..."

She nodded and said, "Ed can you construct a chair? Yugi can you get me my tools?"

They nodded and said, "Sure thing."

Ed clapped his hands and began transmuting a stone chair from the ground and Yugi grabbed the bag filled with tools.

Pegasus said, "I assume this is also alchemy. Correct?"

I nodded and said, "That's basic construction."

Winry placed Yami's arm on her shoulder and helped him over to the chair.

Yami sat down with a loud clank.

Mai looked at him and asked, "Are wearing armor under that?"

Yami shook his head and said, "Armor is something you can take off, this you can't."

Winry knelt down and pulled up Yami's pant leg.

He automail leg was now in full view and glistened in the light of the well lit room.

Winry looked at it and said, "Well, it not the nerve. Look's like you lost a few sprockets and a spring. Easy fix, just as soon as Yugi hands me my bag and you'll be up in ten minutes tops."

The group just stared in awe of the metal prosthetic, Yami was wearing.

Bakura asked, "What is that?"

I replied, "It's a bio-mechanical prosthetic called automail."

He turned to me and said, "She yelled at you for breaking your automail..."

I nodded and placed the small bag in my sling.

I pulled off my gloves showing, my automail right hand in full view.

Duke yelled, "You lost you hand?!"

I sighed and said, "No, I lost my entire arm."

Duke fell down and said, "How?!"

Ed laughed and said, "The same way I lost my left leg and right arm."

They all looked at Ed.

Mai said, "Your joking right? Your arm doesn't even move like a prosthetic."

Ed pulled off his gloves and boots, revealing his automail, and said, "Automail attaches to the undamaged nerves, where it allows the user to move their arms, legs, fingers, and toes, as if they were real."

Al tried to stand up only to fall back down.

Ed looked at him and asked, "Al, what's wrong?"

Al said, "I think the metal on my leg warped. I can't stand up Brother."

Pegasus said, "Take the armor off, simple as that."

Al said, "I can't."

He looked at Al and asked, "And why not?"

Ed looked at him and said in a grim tone, "You wouldn't understand."

Pegasus said, "Honestly, you just take it off."

He took off Al's helmet and then he stood there completely shocked, as he saw no one was inside of it.

Al said without his helmet on, "Brother, can you fix me now?"

Ed groaned and said, "Yeah Al."

He looked at Pegasus and said, "I did warn you..."

Ed walked up to Al and said, "Sit up so I can see the seal."

The headless armor sat straight showing the seal in the back of his armor drawn in blood.

Ed clapped his hands and started fixing Al's armor.

Moment's later, Al was as good as new. Al said, "May I please have my head back?"

Pegasus slowly walked forward and placed the helmet on Al's armor.

Al replied and said, "Thank you, and I'm quite sorry for scaring you."

Pegasus whispered, "It's quite alright, but may I ask what is going on here?"

Duke yelled, "Yeah, people are missing limbs, that guy is a suit of armor, and, you guys have been missing for two months, so what the hell happened?!"

Winry sat up and said, "Alright Yami, your leg is fixed."

He stood up and said, "Thanks Winry."

She smiled and said, "Just use a bit more, oil next time, and you won't lose parts so easily."

He nodded and walked next to Yugi.

Winry looked at me and said, "Alright Seto, let me see it." I

sighed and walked over to the chair.

I handed Winry the bag of pieces and took off my sling.

A few more pieces of metal flew off as my arm began to dangle.

I took off my coat and over-shirt, revealing the black tank top and my full length automail arm.

Winry took one look at it and said, "God dammit Seto, your arm is wrecked!" I

looked at her and said, "Well you try fighting a homonculus whose fingers were knives that could cut through steel."

She sighed and said, "I'm going to have to reconstruct your arm completely, which means you'll have to go a couple days with out an arm."

I sighed and said, "How long?"

Winry picked up a wrench and said, "Three days at the latest."

I groaned and said, "Let's get this over with..."

Winry smiled and said, "Alright, this will take a bit, so get comfortable." I

looked at the group and said, "I suppose we could explain now."

Ed nodded and said, "First we have to explain what alchemy is."

Bakura looked at him and said, "Turning lead into gold, right?"

I shook my head and said, "It's can do that, but it's highly illegal. Alchemy is the science of understanding, deconstructing and reconstructing matter. However, it is not an all powerful art. It is impossible to create something out of nothing. If one wishes to obtain something, something of equal value must be given. This is the law of equivalent exchange."

Mai said, "Equiv-what now?"

Al said, "Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is Alchemy's first law of Equivalent Exchange."

She nodded and said, "So you give, to get..."

I nodded and said, "It's the basis of all alchemy. In accordance with this law, there is a taboo among alchemists. Human transmutation is strictly forbidden."

Mr. Motou looked at me and asked, "What is that?"

Ed groaned, "This would be so much easier if I could just show them..."

Marik stepped up and said, "Perhaps, I can help."

He pulled out the Milieumiem Rod and said, "This reappeared in my room after you disappeared Yugi."

He looked at Ed and said, "I could project your memories, using the rod."

Ed smirked and said, "Go ahead, not like it's going to work. Magic doesn't exist..."

The rod began to glow and the room began to change.

* * *

"Ed? Al? Where are you?" A woman said, as she walked into the room.

She had long brown hair and hazel eyes.

I recognized her from some photos I saw at Winry's.

Trisha Elric, Ed and Al's mother.

She looked at two boys who were sitting in the floor drawing with chalk and reading books.

It's was a younger versions of the Elric brothers.

Trisha sighed and said, "Oh you boys... Are you in here messing up your dad's study again? And Ed, you know better than to scribble on the floor."

Ed looked up at his mother and said, "Yea, but it's not scribbling. Here watch."

Ed places hands on the drawing and began transmuting the floor.

A small wooden bird appeared, it was crude, but quite good for a kid his age.

She stare at the bird and said, "Oh my. That's alchemy isn't it. Did your dad teach you that?"

Ed look at her and asked, "How can he teach us anything if he's not here?"

Al nodded and said, "Right. We read about it in these books."

She stare at the boys and said, "I can't believe you've done this."

The boys looked down and Ed said, "I'm sorry. Did we mess up?"

She smiled and clapped her hands. "No! It's great! You definitely take after your father. My little geniuses, you make me so proud."

The boys faces lit up and her smile.

* * *

The scene changed to young Ed and Al walking into their house.

Trisha was lying in the floor with tomatoes scattered all over the floor.

Ed ran up to her and try to wake her up. "Mom? Wake up Mom, I need you!"

His eyes filled with tears, "MOM!"

* * *

The two boys now sat on a grave, that read, 'Trisha Elric'.

Al looked at his brother and said, "Brother, I miss her..."

Ed nodded and said, "Al, I don't care what it take, we're going to get her back..."

Al looked at him and said, "But the books said, it forbidden."

Ed said, "So what, she's all we have left..."

* * *

They were now in a basement with a large tub.

Al grabbed containers as Ed read off the ingredients. "Water: 35 Liters, carbon: 20 kilograms, ammonia: 4 Liters, lime: 1.5 kilograms, phosphorus: 800 grams, salt: 250 grams, saltpeter: 100 grams, and various other trace elements..."

Ed nodded and said, "Now for some soul matter."

Each boy cut their finger and placed a single drop in the mixture.

Al said, "Now for the matrix."

The two boys drew out the circle with every detail in place.

Ed looked at Al and said, "You ready to see Mom again?"

He nodded and they both began transmuting.

The glowed an eerie blue.

Al said, "Something feel's wrong..."

Then the eye opened, and the arms came out.

They wrapped around Ed and Al.

Al yelled, "BROTHER!"

Ed yelled back, "ALPHONSE!"

* * *

Ed now stood in front of the gate of Truth.

"Welcome, Alchemist."

Ed looked at Truth and asked, "Who are you?"

Truth replied, "I'm so glad you asked!"

"I am the called by many names I am the world, I am the universe, I am god, I am truth, I am all, I am one..."

He pointed at Ed and said, "and I am you."

He asked, "Where's Al?"

Truth yelled, "Quiet, child. This is what you wanted, isn't it? I will show you... the Truth!"

The door opened and eye appeared with the black arms dragging Ed in.

Moments later Ed reappeared with a look somewhere between horror and excitement.

Truth asked, "So, how was it?"

Ed looked at him and said, "So my formula was incorrect. You have to let me back in! I can still bring her back!"

Truth said, "Sorry, but you already paid the toll."

Ed looked at him and asked, "What toll?"

Truth snickered and stood up. "Surly you knew..."

Ed's leg dissolved on to Truth.

Truth smiled and said, "This is you law of equivalent exchange!"

* * *

Ed was now back in the basement, with a bloody stub for a leg.

Ed yelled, "It's gone! God no! What have I done!?"

Ed looked to the center of the circle and said, "Mom help me, please..."

He eyes widen to see a creature barely living, in the center of the circle.

It took one breath and then died in the same moment...

My god...

I made something like this...

What have I done...

Ed yelled, "Alphonse, no!"

He crawls over to a suit of armor and knocks it over.

He begins to draw the blood seal and said, "No, dammit. You won't take him too. Give him back! He's my brother! Take my leg. Take my arm! Take my heart, ANYTHING, YOU CAN HAVE IT! Just give him back! He's my little brother, he's all I have left!"

He begins to transmute and a flash of light fills the room.

* * *

The rod stopped glowing and room returned to normal.

Ed stared at the rod and said, "What the hell was that?!"

Marik said with a bit of a tremble, "Your-r memories..."

They all remained quite, after what they just saw.

Mustang looked at Ed and said, "You've told me how horrible of experience it was, but I never..."

Ed nodded and said, "This is why, we don't like to talk about it..."

Mr. Motou asked, "What was that..."

I replied, "That was Human Transmutation, a taboo, a unforgivable sin for alchemist. For who can bring back the dead..."

They stared in horror at the two boys, for they had discover the truth of their sins...

Our sins...

Ed said, "We tried to play God, and bring our mother back to life, we still pay for that sin..."

Duke looked at Ed and said, "That's why you lost you limbs..."

Ed nodded and said, "And why Al's soul is bound to the armor..."

I looked at Ed and said, "I never actually saw the product of my transmutation, but if it look like that..."

Mai looked up at me and said, "Kaiba you didn't..."

I looked up at her with my eyes solemnly cold.

She gasped and said, "Y-you did-d..."

I sighed and said, "How do you think I met these guys... "

"I'm just as guilty as they are..."

I looked up and said, "I committed the taboo..."

Duke looked at me and asked, "Why the hell did you try to bring someone back?!"

I look up at him and said, "Because I missed my little brother..."

His eyes widen, as did Ishizu's and Marik's.

I said, "You guys live, outside of Japan, so you probably didn't here about it. Mokubia died nearly seven months ago, and I couldn't save him..."

Ishizu looked at me and said, "Kaiba, I'm so sorry..."

I looked at her and said, "After he past on, I lost my edge, my strength, my will. I got desperate, so I found out about alchemy and the taboo..."

"When I did it, Truth took my arm and it sent me to their world. To Amestris..."

Ed nodded and said, "We flew too close to the sun..."

Mai said, "Well that explains what happened to Kaiba, but what happened to you guys?"

Yugi sighed and said, "We found Kaiba's circle... And it's product..."

He looked at me and said, "It's wasn't good Kaiba..."

He looked back at the group and said, "Yami explained to me, what Kaiba did, and after a little decoding we figured out how to open the gate and we used some of the broken pieces of the pyramid of light as payment..."

Yami nodded and said, "Although at the time, Yugi and I didn't know we were going to be separate, so Truth took my leg as payment."

Wheeler nodded and said, "Along with passage, Truth gave us a large amount of alchemic knowledge with allows us to transmute without circles."

They looked at us and Pegasus asked, "You can do alchemy?"

We nodded and then Tea said, "With the exception of the Lieutenant and Winry, all of us are alchemist."

The all stared confuse, until I said, "No one introduced themselves..."

Mustang sighed and said, "It would clear up a lot of things. I'm Colonel Roy Mustang, The Flame Alchemist. This is 2nd Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye."

Winry said with out looking up from my arm and said, "I'm Winry Rockbell, I'm an automail mechanic for your friends here."

Ed smirked and said, "I'm Edward Elric, The Fullmetal Alchemist, and this is my younger brother Alphonse."

Duke looked at Ed and said, "Isn't the older brother taller?"

Ed yelled, "WHO THE HELL YOU CALLIN' SMALLER THAT AN ANT?!"

Duke stepped back and said, "What, no I..."

I laughed and said, "Same old Ed, hates be called short..."

He yelled, "THAT'S BECAUSE I'M NOT SHORT?!"

Mr. Motou nodded and said, "I'm Solomon Motou, Yugi's grandfather. This is Ryo Bakura and Duke Delvin, two good friends of Yugi's."

Serenity smiled and said, "I'm Joey's younger sister, Serenity. This is Mai Valentine, a good friend of Joey's."

Ishizu stepped up and said, "I'm Ishizu, this is my brother Marik. That is Maximilian Pegasus."

Pegasus looked at Mustang and said, "Did I hear you correct, Mr. Mustang, when you said, your a Colonel?"

Mustang nodded and said, "Yes, I am. I am also a state alchemist, like the majority of this group."

Ryo's eyes widen and he said, "Wait, you guys are state alchemist?!"

I nodded and said, "Yeah so?"

He yelled, "You guys are teenagers, how the heck are you in the military?!"

The group from this world said, "WHAT?!"

I gave a small laugh and said, "Relax, we joined at our own free will. Beside's we had to pass an entrance exam. We were mainly doing it for the acess to the research."

Ed nodded and said, "It's my only reason, for becoming a dog of the military."

Mai asked, "What?"

Wheeler replied, "State Alchemist, Dogs of the Military. It what a lot of people call us..."

Duke looked at us and said, "So if you guys are military, you have a rank, right?"

Yugi nodded and said, "All state alchemist receive, a rank of a major, a silver pocket watch, a research fund, access to restricted research, and a title."

Duke said, "A major!?"

I nodded and said, "It's not a big whoop."

Mustang smirked and said, "You always put things down, don't you Silver Sword?"

Mr. Motou said, "Okay, I thought we had introductions done. Who's Silver Sword?"

I raised my good arm and said, "As a state alchemist, we receive a title."

I held up my silver pocket watch and said, "In Amestris, I'm Major Seto Kaiba, The Silver Sword Alchemist."

Yugi smiled and said, "They call me, The Steadfast Alchemist."

Tea smiled and said, "I'm The Iron Ivy Alchemist."

Tristen said, "I'm The Static Alchemist."

Yami said, "I'm The Crystal Blade Alchemist."

Wheeler smirked and said, "I'm The Combustion Alchemist."

Mai asked, "Why did they choose Combustion for you Joey? Your not hot headed all the time..."

He pulled out his transmutation glove and said, "I use flame alchemy, like Teacher."

He snapped and flame shot up.

Marik said, "I get it, you titles pertain to your talents."

Ed nodded and said, "I'm called Fullmetal, because of my automail."

I felt my right side get a lot lighter.

I turned my head and saw that Winry had finished taking off my automail arm.

She looked at me and said, "Alright Seto, your free to go."

I grabbed my over shirt and coat and put them back on.

My right sleeve laid flat, showing that my arm wasn't there.

Pegasus looked at me and said, "So this automail, must be a pain to wear."

I shook my head and said, "The only pain I get from it is, when the nerves reattach, when it rains, and installment."

Ed nodded and said, "Yeah, installment was extremely painful."

Duke said, "Aren't you sedated?"

Ed shook his head and said, "In order for it to be installed correctly, you have to be awake, through out the entire thing."

Riza nodded and said, "The surgery itself has made harden war vetreants, scream in fear and agony. From what I understand, these three did it, with barley a yelp."

Winry nodded and said, "They're my strongest customers. By chance is their a place I can work?"

Pegasus nodded and said, "There's a spare room down the hall, you can work in there."

She smiled and said, "Thank you Mr. Pegasus."

Al looked at Ed and said, "So what are we going to do Brother? We have 3 days till Seto's arm is fixed."

Ed sighed and said, "I suppose we can do some research..."

Ed yelled, "Dammit! My suitcase is back at hotel!"

I groaned and said, "You left all your books there. Dammit, I was hoping that I could use one of your books to determine the circle they used..."

Pegasus looked at us and said, "Well if you need access to reading material, you can use my library..."

Ed and I looked at each other and smiled. Ed said, "That would be great!"

Pegasus nodded and said, "Just follow me."

We all walked behind him through the large halls of Duelist Kingdom, until we reached a set of double doors.

He opened the doors to reveal a large library with books covering the walls.

Ed said, "Is this all non-fiction?"

Pegasus nodded and said, "They're from my old days as an archaeologist, they range in various different topics."

He pointed to a wall and said, "That entire section happens to be about alchemy..."

Ed, Al, and I went over to the shelf immediately and picked out books.

Pegasus looked at us and said, "I didn't know they were such avid readers..."

Wheeler nodded and said, "Alchemist are scientist, always researching and gaining knowledge. I might actually pick a book for myself, before I leave. I'm been meaning to look into to applicable uses for my flame alchemy."

Mai looked at him and said, "Did I just hear you say, your going to read a book?"

I looked at her and said, "Don't be surprised, we've read nearly every book of alchemic reference, in East City, we almost finished in Central until the library burnt down..."

I looked at the books and asked, "Hey Al do you mind holding some books for me?"

Al nodded and said, "Sure thing Seto."

I picked out three different books on basic alchemic structure and matrixies.

Al looked up and said, "Can you grab '_The Social Theories of Biological Alchemy_' for me?"

I grabbed the book and placed it on the stack.

Yami stepped up and picked up a book entitled, '_Crystal Structure and Formation_'.

He also picked up four other books: '_The Bio-Electrical Field Therms', 'The Botanist Guide to Wild Flora', 'Super-heated Metals and Combustible Substances'_, and '_Mechanical Matrices and Solvents_'.

He gave a book to each one of the geek squad.

Mr. Motou read the title of Yugi's book aloud and said, "You kids read things like that?!"

Ed nodded and said, "The applications of these books help us understand what we do as alchemist."

Al set the books on the table and said, "We'll be a while, go on we'll meet up with you later."

Ed had already started reading one of the books he had chosen.

The group at the door left, while Ed, Al, and I remained in the library.


	19. Big Brother

**Chapter 18: Big Brother**

**YAMI MOTOU/ YAMI YUGI**

"It's strange to see you so absorbed into something other than duel monsters, let alone a non-fiction book."

Marik said. Bakura nodded and said, "Let alone a book on science. Aren't your talents based in magic?"

I closed the cover of my book and said, "I had always throught so, until I went throught the gate. Then I came to the relization that magic was actually alchemy seen from a different point of view."

I pulled down the back of my shirt to reveal and odd scar on the back of my neck.

"That appeared on my neck when, I got an actual body. I later found out it's a reminace blood seal, which appears on the body of a person who has been sealed outside of their original body. It wasn't magic that put me in the puzzle, it was the forbidden alchemy."

Marik looked at me and asked, "By the way, where is the puzzle? Neither you or Yugi are wearing it."

I sat back and said, "When Truth seperated us, the seal was removed from the puzzle and it shattered as a result. But as another result, part of Yugi's blood mixed into the seal, thus is why we look so alike."

Marik's eyes widen and said, "But what about the legend of the milenium items?!"

I replied, "They are products of anicent alchemy, were souls were bound to the objects, giving them and their supernatual abilites. The Rod possesed a dark soul that overwhelmed yours. When I defeated you, the soul went dorminant and wouldn't wake up."

Marik looked at the rod and nervously asked, "How do you know for certain..."

I pointed to the eye symbol and said, "Any alchemist that has past through the gate can tell you that's the symbol for Truth. When the gate opens an eye opens and drags you to Truth."

Bakura nodded and said, "That explians Yami Bakura a bit more..."

I nodded and said, "Who ever made the seals, maniputlated them to were I had no memories of my old life, and the others had dark and evil memories, not belonging to them..."

Bakura looked at me and said, "You said eariler that, since Yugi's blood mixed into your seal, is why you look alike. Wouldn't that mean you share the same blood as him?"

I nodded and said, "Basicly if someone ran a test on our blood, it would tell you we're gentically identiacal. By the medical defintion, we're idenditacal twin brothers, created by the gate..."

Marik and Bakura stare at me completely speechless.

Marik stuttered out, "Y-your Yugi's twin?!"

"Same age, height, hair and eye color, basic twin. Well, that's how Ed explained it."

I looked up and said, "In Amestris, I used Yugi's last name so that I seemed normal and could properly apply for things. There we are the Motou Brothers, the infamous twins of alchemy."

Marik shook his head and said, "Now, there's another question. How does alchemy work?"

I pulled out a paper and pen, from my notebook and began to draw a simple array.

"This is basic alchemy, you draw out the specific matrix and then determine the material you want to transmute."

I held up a piece of paper and said, "Paper is made from pulp, gathered from trees, thus it's wood."

I set it on the array and said, "With that knowlage, anyone can transmute this piece of paper."

"Can I try it mister?"

I turned to see a little girl standing in the door.

She had bright green eyes and twin braids of chestnut brown hair. She wore a pair of white kaprees and and a green tank top with little pink flower's on it.

I looked at her and said, "Uh...sure..."

She smiled and said, "Thank you mister! It's sounds really cool!"

She ran up and asked, "What do I do now mister...?"

I looked at her and said, "Yami. My name is Yami Motou. It's very nice to meet you miss..."

She smiled and said, "I'm Nina. It's nice to meet you too!"

I smiled, placed her hands on the circle, and said, "Focus you energy into the circle and think about anything. An animal, a flower, anything your mind can come up with! Then watch what happens..."

She gave a small giggle and began to focus.

A spark arised from the circle and the paper began to deconstruct.

As it reconstructed it took the shape of a crown made from paper flowers.

She smiled and said, "I did it!"

"I really did it, Big Brother!"

I looked at Nina with suprise, and asked, "Why did you call me big brother?"

She gave a sad smile and said, "I don't have any siblings of my own, and daddy is always busy, working for Mr. Pegasus."

"I don't have anybody to play with except my dog, Alexander, but he disappeared a couple of days ago."

Then her face lit up and said, "But you are really nice, and showed me this neat-o trick. So I called you Big Brother."

She looked down and asked, "Is that alright?"

I gave a small laugh and said, "That's fine young one."

Bakura smirked and said, "Looks like you have a little sister, Yami."

Nina looked at me and asked, "Can you do another trick? Like the one you taught me, Big Brother?"

I smiled and said, "Alright Nina, but you'll need to step back, this one is a bit bigger."

She walked over toward Marik and said, "Let's go!"

I clapped my hands together and transmuted a small crystal flower from the floor.

Marik looked at me and said, "So that's why your called Crystal Blade. You transmute crystals."

I picked up my creation and placed it into Nina's hair.

She hugged me and said, "Thanks Big Brother, I love it!"

I smiled and said, "No problem Nina."

She looked at the three of us and asked, "Do you guys want to play with me? Please?!"

Bakura and Marik smiled and said, "Sure."

I smiled and said, "Well, then let's play!"

She ran up to me, pressed on my arm, and yelled, "Tag! Your it Big Brother!"

She ran away and said, "Can't catch me, Big Brother!"

Bakura and Marik began running as well as I began to run after them.

I finally tag Nina who chase after, Marik and Bakura for the longest time.

After about twenty minutes, we were all exhausted.

Nina smiled and said, "I wish Daddy would play with me like you, Big Brother."

Bakura smiled and said, "What about us? We played too!"

She smiled and said, "I'm happy you did, Daddy use to, but now he's too busy..."

Marik asked, "So what does you father do?"

She smiled and said, "Daddy is a bioglologist..."

I gave a small laugh and said, "You mean a biologist?"

She nodded and said, "That word is really hard to say."

We all started laughing.

She smiled and said, "Anyway, Mr. Pegasus hired Daddy to help the plants and animals on the island."

I smiled and asked, "Where's your mother?"

She looked down and said, "She died when I was little, but it's alright Daddy always took good care of me..."

I smiled and said, "I'm sure he does."

A man in a suit walked in and said, "Nina, your father want's you to come to your room."

She looked up at me and asked, "Can you come and see me tomorrow, Big Brother? You can meet Daddy and we can show him the trick!"

I nodded and said, "Sure sweetie, just tell me, which room."

She smiled and said, "We're room 313!"

She grabbed the man's hand and said," Bye, Big Brother! I'll see you tomorrow!"

I waved as Nina left the room.

Marik smiled and said, "Such a sweet girl."

Bakura nodded and said, "She's sure is fond of her 'big brother'."

I smirked and said, "She seem like she need someone to be a friend to her. She seemed quite lonely..."

* * *

"Thanks for coming with me guys, she is really lonely and this will surely cheer her up." I said as Yugi, Al, Joey, and Kaiba followed me down the hall.

Yugi smiled and said, "Well it not everyday a little girl, comes to an island."

I looked at the green door and saw the numbers 313.

I knocked on the door and said, "Nina? Are you home?"

There was no reply.

Al and Kaiba tensed up at her name.

Al asked, "Did, she have brown hair braided in pig tails, and bright green eyes?"

I looked at him and said, "Yeah, did you see her yesterday walking around?"

Kaiba gasped and said, "No...No...Not again..."

Kaiba walked up to the door, banged his fist on it, and yelled, "Tucker! I know your in there you bastard! Open the dam door!"

I stuttered out in horror, "T-Tucker...as in Shou Tucker and his daughter..."

My eyes widen as I made the connection.

God, no. Not her, anyone but her...

I ran up and kicked in the door with my automail leg, busting it off it's hinges.

A man with short brown hair and glasses sat in the floor, next to him sat a creature inside a transmutation circle.

It had a small crystal flower woven in it's hair and a crown made of paper flowers at the top.

Tucker said, "I did it, I finally made a chimera that can speak!"

It looked up at me and said with a soft voice, "Ya...mi..."

"Ya...mi..."

"Ya...mi..."

"Big... Bro... ther..."

My eyes widen in horror as I whispered out, "N-Nina..."

I turned to Tucker and with a new found rage I tackled him to the wall.

I yelled, "YOU BASTARD LOOK WHAT YOU DID TO HER!"

He looked at me and said, "I see, how did you figure it out?"

I yelled, "Oh yeah. I figured it out. You used your own daughter and her dog to transmute a talking Chimera! You can only do so much with animals after all! It's much easier when you start with a human. Isn't that right you son of a bitch?!"

He gave a smug laugh and said, "Well I see your an alchemist, and I don't see what you're so upset about."

"This is how we progress. Human experimentation is a necessary step. I would think a scientist should understand..."

I yelled, "SHUT UP YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

I punched his face and sreamed, "Do you really think you can get away with this? Messing around with someone's life like that. Your own daughter!? She loved you and you did this to her!"

He laughed and said, "We are alchemist, messing with life is our job..."

"We are the same! We're the same! You're just like me!"

I punched him again and yelled, "NO WE'RE NOT!"

He laughed and said, "Face the truth, your just as guilty as I am."

I punched him, causing his nose to bleed and said, "No!"

And I punched him again, "Not me!"

And again, "Alchemists don't..."

And again, "Do that!"

And again, "I'm not... I'm not!"

I continued to punched him until I felt someone grab my arm.

It was Yugi and he said with a tremble, "Yami, If you keep this up, he'll die."

Nina crawled up to me and said, "Big... Bro... ther... No... Daddy...Do you..hurt Daddy..."

I looked at Tucker whose face was covered in blood, brusies and broken glass.

I dropped him and looked down at Nina.

I fell to my knees and felt the tears roll down my face.

Tucker gave a weak laugh and said, "I...did it..."

"I'll... be famous...rich... "

"..and...it all...thanks...to Nina..."

Something just then cracked inside of me letting the fury take control once more.

I got up and tried to charge him, only to be held back by Al and Joey as I yelled, "YOU'LL NEVER LAY ANOTHER HAND ON HER!"

"YOU HEAR ME, YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

"NEVER!"

Kaiba looked at Tucker and said, "Your going away for this Tucker, that I promise."

I still tried to escape their grip saying, "Let me go and let me give that bastard what he deserves!"

Joey yelled, "Yami, calm down! He not going to hurt her anymore!"

Nina crawled up to me and said, "Big... Bro... ther... You...hurt...too..."

I looked down to see my knuckle was covered in broken glass and bloody cuts.

Nina, was trying to help me...

I felt more tears stream down my face.

Nina said, "Don't...cry...Big... Bro... ther... I'll... make... you better..."

She began to lick my bleeding skin.

I fell to my knees once again as I she tried to tend to my bleeding skin.

Ed, Pegasus, and, Mustang came through the door.

Ed said, "We heard a scream, what..."

He saw Nina who still licked my bleeding hand, Tucker who face was nearly beaten in, and myself, who was drowning in my tears.

Ed stepped back and said, "Not again... Not Nina..."

Pegasus stare at me and asked, "What the hell happened here?!"

Nina looked up at Pegasus and said, " Big... Bro... ther... Hurts..."

They stared wide eyed at her.

She said,"Daddy...hurt...me...so...Big... Bro... ther...hurt...daddy...he...protected me...don't...hurt...Big... Bro... ther..."

Pegasus gasped and said, "N-Nina...My god, that thing is his daughter!"

Mustang nodded and said, "The bastard made her into a chimera, fusing her with dog, knowing he couldn't turn her back..."

Yugi choke up a bit and said to Nina, "I'm sorry. Even with all our power, we can't do anything to change you back. I'm sorry. I'm sorry..."

She asked, "C-Can we play now... can we play now?"

I nodded and said, "Yes Nina...we can play..."

I felt the tears roll down my face. "Big... Bro... ther...why...are you...crying..."

I gasped between the tears and said, "I'm...sorry...I'm sorry... I couldn't save you... I couldn't..."

Nina laid her head on my leg and said, "Big... Bro... ther...It's...okay...I...still...love...you..."

Yugi looked at me and said, "Let's get you to the infirmary Yami."

Yugi helped me up and I slowly began to walk while Nina walked beside me.

Ed looked down and said, "We may be called dogs of the military."

"We may even be cursed as devils."

"That doesn't matter."

"Al, Seto, and I, are still going to get our bodies back."

"We know the truth. We know we're not devils. I know we're not gods. We're human."

He yelled at the top of his lungs, "WE'RE ONLY HUMAN!"

Kaiba looked down and said, "Who can't even do anything to save one innocent little girl... so what good are we then?"

I looked down at Nina as we walked and said, "I-I'm sorry...I-I sorry..."


	20. Little Sister

**Little Sister**

**TEA GARDNER**

_A/N: Forget the infirmary thing from last chapter. Why would their be a infirmary in a castle? There isn't. Sorry!_

"These poor plants..." I said as I walked in the room and noticed the wilting plants in the main hall.

Duke, Marik, Grandpa Motou, Tristen, and Bakura sat on the couch, talking about Amestris. Ishizu, Mai, Riza, and Serentity sat at the table talking about our world.

I looked back at the wilting plants and said, "Let's see if I can fix this."

I clapped my hands and placed them on the soil. The sparks traveled up the plants and they began to stand straight.

The smoothed out and almost all of it's color returned. I smiled and said, "You just needed the soil to be turned up."

Mai looked at me and said, "So your called the Iron Ivy Alchemist, because you deal with plants." I

nodded and said, "I also draw out the natural metal filaments in plants making them into metal plants."

She smirked and said, "That's incredible."

I smiled and said, "Me? Nah. I'm nothing."

Riza looked up and said, "Forgive me for saying this Ma'am, but your not nothing! Your quite amazing, there hasn't been many female state alchemist, let alone one who understands botanical alchemy! You just as good as the others!"

I smiled and said, "There no need to apologize Riza, and please don't call me ma'am. We're off duty."

Ishizu looked at her and asked, "Why does she call you ma'am, Tea?"

I replied, "Technically, I outrank her. I'm a major and she's a lieutenant, it's custom for the lower ranking officer to address the greater rank as Sir or Ma'am. I don't personally endorse it, Riza older than me. So if anyone should be called ma'am, it's her."

Riza smiled and said, "Tea, your are quite a refined young lady, even if you spend most of your time with four teenage boys."

I smiled and said, "Yugi and Yami are very well mannered. Tristen and Joey on the other hand..."

The door opened and Yugi came in, helping Yami walked in.

Next to them walked a creature, the size of a large dog. By how it looked it could have been a dog, but not anymore. It's was a chimera.

I heard a splat of a liquid on the floor. I looked down to see a trail of blood leading from the door to Yami's right hand, which was covered in blood.

Yugi looked up and yelled, "Someone get the first aid kit, Yami's hurt..."

Ishizu jumped up and ran to get it.

Riza said, "Sit him down at the table, so I can examine the wound." Yugi helped him over to the chair and Yami sat down.

The chimera walked over toward him and rested it next to him.

Riza took one look at the creature and said with utter shock and horror, "N-Nina..."

Marik and Bakura looked at the creature and Marik said, "That's not Nina...Nina's a little girl..."

The chimera looked at the two boys and then it spoke with a soft and bone chilling voice. "Ma...rik...and...Ba...kura...Big... Bro... ther...hurts..."

Their eyes widen and Bakura said, "No...That can't be her..."

Marik yelled, "What happened to her?!"

Yami looked up and said with a shaky, "Her father did this to her..."

Riza growled out, "Dammit. Tucker is a bastard..."

Yami said with a snarl, "Agreed, and I let, the son of a bitch, know it too..."

Riza looked at his hand and said, "I can see that. His glasses lenses broke and got into your hand while you were giving him a piece of your mind."

He nodded and said, "He deserved every hit..."

I stared at Yami. I have never him seen him like this.

He looks so full of anger and yet sad, at the same time...

Riza looked at me and said, "Can you make some tweezers, Tea?"

I nodded, then quickly transmuted them, and gave them to her. She began to pull out the pieces of broken glass.

Nina looked up at Yami and asked, "Big... Bro... ther...you... feel better?..."

Yami looked down and said, "Yes, Nina. I'm feeling much better."

She gave a smile and said, "Thank...You...Big... Bro... ther..."

He looked at her in shock and said, "But, I couldn't save you..."

"I can't turn you back..."

"Why are you thanking me?"

She smiled and said, "Big... Bro... ther...you...care...for...me...more than... daddy ever...did..."

She looked down and said, "Daddy...love...alch...emy...more...than... any...thing..."

"More...than...mommy..."

"More...than...Alex... ander..."

"More...than...me..."

She smiled and looked at Yami and said, "You...love...me... for... me... and... I love... you... Big... Bro... ther... for... you..."

Yami gave a sad smile and said, "Thank you...Nina... Thank you..."

A few tears rolled down his face.

Nina looked up and asked, "Why...are you...crying...Big... Bro... ther?..."

Yami smiled and began to wipe away his tears. He looked at her said, "You just made me feel a lot better...Little Sister..."

Nina smiled and said, "Big... Bro... ther...and...Lit...tle...Sis...ter..."

She said it again only the words got clearer, "Big... Brother...and... Lit...tle...Sister..."

I couldn't help but let a small smile out.

Yami and Nina, the Big Brother and the Little Sister. It seem to fit them, they seem to share a bond only siblings could have.

Nina smiled and asked, "C-Can we play now... can we play now Big... Bro... ther... ?"

He smiled and said, "As soon as I wrap my hand, we can play Little Sister."

Ishizu came back in and brought the bandages. She looked at the pile of broken glass as Hawkeye added more.

Riza sat up and said, "I think I got it all."

Yami nodded and said, "I can't feel anymore pieces in there."

Riza picked up the peroxide and said, "We'll clean it out, then put the bandages on."

She doused a small cloth and the applied it to Yami's hand. He cringed for a moment and said, "That hurts, but not as much as automail..."

Riza took the bandages and wrapped Yami's hand up.

She nodded and said, "Your all done Yami."

Nina jumped up and said, "Big... Bro... ther...let's...play..."

Yami smiled and said, "Let's go outside to play, Little Sister."

She nodded and the two walked out the front door.

Yugi smiled and said, "It's good to see that, Nina snapped him out of it."

I looked at Yugi and asked, "Out of what?"

Yugi looked up and said, "Yami saw what Tucker did to Nina, and how Tucker planed to use his daughter to make money..."

He looked down and said, "Something inside him just snapped. He went berserk and nearly beat in Tucker's face. If it wasn't for us, holding him back and Nina, he might have killed him..."

I was completely shocked. Yami nearly killed someone...

Yugi continued, "Tucker was saying that human experimentation was needed. He talked like his own daughter was a ingredient that could be easily used. The man is a monster."

"Agreed, the bastard deserved every punch Yami gave him."

Mustang, Kaiba, Joey, Ed, and Al walked in the room.

Yugi looked at them and asked, "Did Pegasus call the authorities?"

Mustang nodded and said, "He'll be in prison by tonight."

Kaiba looked at the table, with the pile of bloody glass and the small pool of blood.

"Yami, did a real number, didn't he?"

Ed nodded and said, "I did the same thing to our version of Tucker, only with my automail hand."

Kaiba nodded and said, "It been almost a year since that happened..."

Duke raised an eyebrow and asked, "What do you mean your version of Tucker? And it hasn't been a year, you guys been for gone for like two months..."

Kaiba explained the whole mirrored worlds scenario and how time passes faster there.

Marik quietly asked, "What happened to your version of Tucker and Nina?"

The got quite for a moment.

The Colonel said, "A serial killer named Scar, killed them both in the name of his God..."

Ed growled and said, "When we get back to Central I want to lure that bastard out of hiding."

Mustang said, "Easy Fullmetal. We'll get him, I promise you that."

"But don't even think about fighting on your own!"

I looked out the window to see Yami and Nina running around playing a game of tag. They were laughing and have a general good time.

Ed looked over my shoulder and said, "At least, she still alive."

Al nodded and said, "She really like Yami, Brother."

Kaiba nodded and said, "She calls him, Big Brother."

Ed smirked and said, "Well, she is six."

Kaiba looked outside and said, "I'm going outside, it's become too gloomy in here for my taste."

Ed nodded and said, "We still have one more day until your automail is fixed."

Kaiba smirked and said, "Well, when it is. You and me are going to spar."

Ed gave a smug laugh and said, "Oh it's on Seto!"


	21. When Alchemist Clash

**When Alchemist Clash**

**EDWARD ELRIC**

"It's just so lovely! The smell of oil, the hum of the ball bearings, the rugged yet amazingly beautiful form created through anatomical engineering! Aah, how wonderful you are... my automail!"

Winry said as she pulled up my fully repaired arm.

Seto and I groaned and said, "Crazy Gearhead."

Winry smirked and said, "You two would be lost without me, Alchemy Freaks."

Winry had decided to attach Seto's arm in the main foyer so everyone could see how automail is attached.

Honestly, I think its a form of punishment for him breaking her automail, so everybody would hear him...

"GOD DAMMIT WINRY! GIVE ME A FREAKING' WARNING!"He yelled as she attached the nerve.

Winry laughed and said, "That never get's old!"

He groaned and said, "Really, it hurts worse every time you do it."

She smiled and said, "Wiggle your fingers and your good to go, Seto."

He touched each finger into his palm, making sure it was fully operational.

He stood up and rolled his shoulder.

It always felt good to have my arm back, I can't imagine how Seto feels.

Nina looked up at Seto with a smile.

Her words were becoming much clearer, but still she had to break apart syllables.

"You have a me...tal arm. Just like Big...Bro...ther's...leg."

I nodded and said, "Now for the real test."

He clapped his hands together and touched the top of his automail.

His kriss blade formed as he took his hand off of his automail.

Duke said, "Whoa! I didn't know you guys could transmute your arms!"

I nodded and said, "It one of my signature moves, catches my opponent of guard."

He clinched his fist in and out and asked, "Did you use a new metal in my arm?"

She nodded and said, "I used a bit more titanium and lowered the amount of zinc. Hopefully that will make your arm harder to break."

He transmuted his arm back to normal and said, "Thanks Winry, I owe you one."

She smiled and said, "In that case, I'm charging you double and rush order fees when we get back to Amestris."

Seto head sunk and said with a groan, "Me and my big mouth..."

I smirked and said, "I've been there."

He smirked and said, "You ready?"

I had almost forgot, the sparing match.

Seto smirked and said, "We should go outside, less chance of us breaking something, we can't fix."

I nodded and said to the group around us, "Come on, you won't want to miss this."

* * *

We stood in the amiss the center of a long field.

The group of people stood near us.

Duke said, "So what do we do know?" A

l looked down and said, "Well, first things first. We need boundaries and somewhere for us to sit."

Al looked at Yugi and they both nodded.

Al and Yugi, began transmuting the stone bleachers, and the boundaries of the field.

Everyone sat down with the exception of Mustang and Hawkeye. "We'll over see this battle." Mustang said with smug smirk.

Riza nodded and said, "First one knocked out of the boundaries or is knocked out, loses. Do you understand?"

We both nodded.

Mustang announced to the crowd, "Let the fight between, Edward Elric, The Fullmetal Alchemist and Major Seto Kaiba, The Silver Sword Alchemist, BEGIN!"

I started off by sending a giant stone fist towards Seto.

He countered by jumping on top of it and transmuted two fist to come at me.

I quickly dodge it and began sending waves of rock spikes to him.

Seto smirked and began to deconstruct them as he ran by.

I grinned and said, "Let's kick it up a notch!"

I began transmuting my signature spear from the ground.

I heard Duke yelled, "They're using weapons to spar?!"

Seto laughed and said, "You've haven't seen anything yet."

He transmuted a iron long sword from the ground and we began to clash our blades.

We went at it for the longest time till our weapons started breaking.

Seto smirked and said, "Looks like we need something a bit stronger..."

We both began transmuting our own arms into blades.

We came in with blades a clashing as fast as possible, swiftly sliding our blades off one another.

After a while I began to feel fatigued.

I looked at Seto seeing he was doused in sweat and was breathing heavily.

We both fell on our butts completely out of breath. A

fter a regained some of my breath I asked, "Want to call it a draw, Seto?"

He nodded and yelled to Mustang, "We're calling Stalemate!"

Colonel Bastard smirked and said, "Figures you two would fight to the point your out of breath."

Seto and I helped each other up and we began to walk out.

Tea smirked and said, "You two would beat yourselves silly, if you weren't holding back."

Duke yelled, "That's holding back?! You two looked like you we're going to kill each other!"

Seto replied, "We had people try to kill us, it's harder than it looks."

I nodded and said, "Same goes for Colonel Bastard and Major Armstrong, tough as hell, and hard to kill."

Mustang snapped and my pant leg caught fire. He said, "That's enough out of you, Fullmetal."

Bakura asked, "Who are they?"

Seto gave a small laugh and said, "Ed calls Mustang, Colonel Bastard, which is why Mustang lit Ed un-fire."

I yelled, "I'll get you back for that, you bastard!"

After rolling his eyes Seto continued by saying, "Major Alex Louis Armstrong, The Strong Arm Alchemist, is the biggest guy I have ever met. Just be careful not to excite him..."

I nodded and said, "Yeah, that gets really weird..."

Mai asked Yugi, "Was that a normal spar for those two?"

Yugi nodded and said, "Pretty much, although they were holding back quite a bit. Yami and I get pretty aggressive as well when it comes to a spar."

Duke looked at Yugi in shock and said, "You two spar?!"

Yami smirked and said, "Speaking of which, care to take me on for a round Brother?"

Yugi smirked and said, "Sure thing, but let's get the field cleared. Ed and Kaiba left quite a mess."

I yelled, "I was going to clean it up!"

But Yugi and Yami were both already fixing the field.

As soon as it was fixed Yami and Yugi took off their officers jackets showing off their newly built bodies in their skin tight white tank tops.

Pegasus said, "It's hard to believe that's Little Yugi. He looks so strange now."

Seto said, "He's not so little anymore, Pegasus."

He nodded and said, "He use to be the shortest in your group, but that title now belongs to Eddie Boy."

I yelled, "WHO YOU CALLING' A MIDGET SIZED PIPSQUEAK?!"

"AND DON'T CALL ME EDDIE BOY!"

Pegasus said, "Sorry, force of habit..."

Nina was quite near the field and she said with excitement, "Go... Big Bro...ther!"

Yami smiled and said, "Stay near Alphonse, Little Sister. This is very dangerous."

Nina nodded and walked over by Al.

Mr. Motou leaned over to me and asked, "Are they going to do the same thing you and Kaiba did?"

I said, "Yes and No. Yes, they will be using alchemy to spar, and no, because they're using their own alchemic skills."

Seto nodded and said, "Yugi is based in reconstruction, but is rather good with his bladed staff. Yami, on the other hand uses special crystals that are harder than diamonds. In the end it all comes down to their form and stamina."

Winry smirked and said, "It will be interesting to see the infamous twins of alchemy duke it out."

Yugi smirked and said, "Ready when you are Brother."

Mustang nodded at the two boys and said, "Major Yami Motou, The Crystal Blade Alchemist vs. Major Yugi Motou, The Steadfast Alchemist. Begin at your own accord."

Yami started it off by sending crystal spikes towards Yugi.

Yugi smirked and created a large wall before the crystals hit.

Ishizu nodded and said, "Now I understand the title, Steadfast. His defenses are quite impressive."

I smirked and said, "Remember, we're holding back...This is only a fraction of what they can really do."

Yami began using the crystals he created as steps and jumped on top of the wall.

Yugi smirked and said, "Going down!"

He began to deconstruct the wall and crystals causing Yami to fall.

Yami flipped back and said, "Predicting my moves, clever Brother, but not clever enough."

He sent a crystal toward Yugi.

Yugi quickly ducked and began forming his bladed staff.

Yugi smirked and said, "Shall we Brother?"

Yami nodded and transmuted his crystal saber.

He said with a smirk, "Show me what you've got."

They charged each other and began to fight. The two clashed their weapons for at least ten minutes, when Yugi's staff busted in half.

Yami sent a slice right at Yugi.

Yugi ducked just in time, only letting a piece of hair get sliced and began transmuting a pedistool underneath Yami, causing him to go flying out of the boundaries.

The crystal saber landed in right next to Hawkeye.

She yelled, "Crystal Blade is out of bounces . The winner is Major Yugi Motou, The Steadfast Alchemist!"

Yugi walked over to Yami, extended his hand, and said, "Need help up, Brother?"

Yami smirked and grabbed Yugi's wrist.

He then flipped him to the ground and said, "That's for the sneaky move."

The two brothers were both laughing as they sat on the ground.

I said, "You know sometimes, Yami reminds me of Teacher..."

Al nodded and said, "Yeah, me too..."

They both got up and dusted themselves off.

Nina ran over to Yami and said, "Big Bro...ther... are you... hurt?"

He gave Nina smile and said, "No Little Sister, I'm fine. Yugi and I were just having a bit of fun."

Bakura looked at them and said, "I've never seen Yugi be aggressive, let alone actually fight."

Duke nodded and said, "Plus they were holding back. Imagine how they fight when the cut loose."

Joey looked up at them and said, "I've seen Yami in action against Lust. He did pretty well, but he was also injured at the time, so he wasn't at his peak."

Serenity looked at Joey and asked, "Who's Lust?"

Joey looked down and said, "She was a Homonculii."

Mai asked, "What's that?"

Seto replied, "A created human with a Philosopher's Stone at their core."

"The ones we've met are named after the seven deadly sins."

Joey nodded and said, " Lust the Lascivious. She could turn her fingers into knives and that could nearly pierce through anything, she called it her Ultimate Spear."

"She nearly killed me, Havoc, and Teacher..."

Serenity looked at her brother and said, "What?!"

Joey pointed to the bandage on his shoulder and said, "That didn't happen on it's own. She sent her fingers through my shoulder, Teacher's stomach, and Havoc's spinal cord."

"If it wasn't for Teacher's quick thinking, we would have bleed out and died on the spot."

He pulled up his bandaged hand and began pulling off the wrapping.

Mai and Serenity gasped when they saw the transmutation circle carved into his hand.

Joey said solemnly, "It was the single most painful thing I have ever did..."

"Teacher and I used our boot knives to carve the flame alchemy transmutation circle into our hands, and used Havoc's lighter to burn our wounds closed..."

They girls stared in horror.

Then Mai asked, "What happened after that?"

Joey's eyes began to run cold and the dark circles once again in closed his eyes.

He said, "I...I don't want to talk about it..."

Seto looked up from his noted and said, "God dammit!"

I looked at him and asked, "What? Did you not remember the circle?"

He shook his head and said, "No, I remembered it. It's just we used it before..."

He flipped around his notebook showing everyone the circle.

Duke looked at it and asked, "What is that a circle for?"

Tristen said quietly, "The Gate..."

Seto nodded and said, "Someone paid our toll. I'm guessing with a Philosopher's Stone."

The name of the blood soaked gem made me shutter.

Tea said, "It's bad enough we went through the Gate, but using that for payment...It makes it worse..."

Pegasus asked, "What's a Philosopher's Stone?"

I said from memory, "The Celestial Stone that destroyed the city of Xerxes in one night. The Grand Elixir, sealed away by the Eastern Sage. It goes by different names, but it's always the same thing: some kind of object that amplifies alchemy. And that's the Philosopher's Stone."

"For years, Al and I sought after the stone in hopes of getting our bodies back to normal. But when we found out what it's made of, we vowed to never use it..."

Marik asked, "That leaves the question, what is made of?"

I said quietly, "In the end, it all comes down to one thing... Human lives..."

"That is what the stone is made of..."

The all sat back in horror and disgust.

Seto nodded and said, "And the fact remains, someone makes these stones, and they used it to get us away from Central."

I looked up and said, "We have to get back, but I don't know what we could use for the exchange."

Yugi walked up and said, "I do, but we would have to go to Domino City to get it."

I smiled and said, "Then what are we waiting for."


	22. Homeward Bound

**Homeward Bound**

**SETO KAIBA**

"Dam this place is really advanced!" Ed said staring at the huge towering skyscrapers.

I nodded and said, "That's why we had you guys change clothes."

We no longer wore our Amestrain clothing. (Except Winry, because her clothes already blend in.)

Ed now wore a pair of blue jeans, a pair of black converse, a set of white gloves, and a red hoodie with the flammel on the back. He had also taken out his braid and wore a pony tail.

Mustang wore a pair of black slacks, a light blue button up shirt, and a long black coat. His gloves stayed on his hands, due to the fact he didn't trust new places easily.

Riza now wore a black t-shirt and a pair of tan pants. She let her long blonde hair down and put in a black hair band.

Tea, Yugi, Wheeler, and Tristen, changed into their normal outfits from this world.

Yami and Nina were staying out of sight, so no one would freak out, to see Nina.

I wore my usual outfit, with a few alterations. I now wore gloves to hide my automail, I also put the flammel on my the back of my white jacket. I took out my braid and put it in a ponytail.

My hair was incredibly long, considering I hadn't cut it since... He died...

I should probably visit him while I'm here...

We walked down the series of sidewalks as the cars busily drove by. As we were walking we came across a small park.

In the park there was...

"Is that Kaiba?!" A winy voice said.

"I think so..." A more gruff, but still not fully devolved sounding voice said.

Yugi smirked and said, "I recognize those voices anywhere. Weevil! Rex! Come out where we can see you!"

The two duelist walked around the curb and said, "I thought I heard Yugi. Where is he?"

Yugi waved and said, "Oh come on! I know I've changed, but am I really not that hard to recognize."

They gawked at Yugi with mouths wide open. R

ex said, "Yugi?! Your hair is blonde and you taller!"

Yugi sighed and said, "Anymore obvious things you would like to point out?"

They looked behind him and said completely freaked out, "There's a guy behind you that looks just like you!"

I turned to see Yami standing behind him. Yugi gave a small laugh and asked Yami, "What took so long Brother?"

Yami smirked and said, "I had to get Nina to the game shop, and wait for the others to show up. Sorry for the delay Brother."

Weevil said, "Whoa! Did you just call that guy brother?"

Yugi nodded and said, "Rex, and Weevil, I'd like to introduce you to my twin brother, Yami."

They both yelled, "YOU HAVE A TWIN BROTHER?!"

Yami smirked and said, "Pleased to meet you."

Rex asked, "Why hasn't he been in School with you?!"

Yami replied, "As children we were in a severe accident, killed our parents and took my leg off. I been at a special school in Germany, while they created my prosthetic."

Weevil looked at Yami and said, "Your joking, right?"

Yami pulled up a bit of his pant leg showing the gleaming metal.

Rex said quietly, "Ok, you not joking..."

Yami nodded and turned to Yugi. "We should get moving, if you want to show our guest around Domino, before we leave."

Weevil looked at the Amestrain group and asked, "Who are they?"

Ed smirked and said, "I'm Edward Elric, and next to me is my younger brother, Alphonse." A

l waved and said, "Hello." Rex said, "The pipsqueak is the older brother?"

Ed yelled, "What was that, you brat?! Say it again! Once more! I'll send you flying! Do you hear me? Your little body will go straight up into space!"

Rex back away from Ed when he said that.

Winry hit him with a wrench and said, "Oh be nice Ed!"

He looks at her and said, "Did you really need to bring out the wrench, Winry?"

She nodded and said, "It's the only way, you and Seto will listen to me."

She turned to the boys and said, "I'm Winry Rockbell."

Riza smiled and said, "I'm Riza Hawkeye."

Mustang smirked and said, "I'm Roy Mustang, pleasure to meet friends of Steadfast."

The two boys gave a questioning look at him.

I said, "Mustang, likes nicknames. Yugi's is Steadfast."

Wheeler smirked and said, "Most of us have nicknames that Te...Roy has given us."

Weevil smirked and said, "I'm Weevil Underwood, the insect duelist."

Rex smirked and said, "I'm Rex Raptor, the dinosaur duelist."

Ed smirked and asked, "What's with the titles?"

Rex gave a small laugh and said, "As high ranking duelist, they receive a title based on their abilities and dueling styles."

Weevil pointed to Yugi and said, "Take for instance Yugi here. He's The King of Games, considering he the undefeated champion."

Al looked at Yugi and said, "I didn't know your a duelist."

The two boys stared in shock at Al and Rex asked, "Did any of these guys tell you about their dueling careers?"

The Amestrains shook their heads, no.

The two duelist fell on their butts and yelled in unison, "THEY DIDN'T! THEY'RE WORLD CLASS!"

I smirked and said, "We been more focused on something more pressing, lately..."

Rex when to stand up, when all of a sudden I heard a loud crack.

I looked at Rex's duel disk and saw it fall apart.

He groaned and said, "Dammit! My freaking duel disk!"

Ed smirked and said, "Don't worry will fix it."

I nodded and said, "Let's use the chalk for this one."

Ed nodded, in conformation of what I really was saying.

Ed began drawing the matrix out and made sure every piece was in the center.

Weevil looked at it and asked, "How is a drawing going to fix it?"

I said, "Watch."

Ed stood up and crossed his arms.

The circle enveloped in blue lighting.

Ed said, "First, deconstruction."

It began breaking down into it's base elements.

Then I said, "Then, reconstruction."

The duel disk was now reforming in it original factory made state.

Ed picked it up and said, "It's good as new."

The boys stared dumbfounded at Ed.

Finally Weevil said, "You fixed it, with magic..."

Al said, "Not magic, alchemy. My brother is an alchemist."

The boys still stared, not sure what really happened.

I heard the eerie sound of a swing set creaking in the background.

I said quietly, "This is Mizumoto Park..."

"Mokubia's favorite place to play..."

The all stood quite for a moment then, I said, "You guys go ahead. I've got to do something..."

Ed looked at me and said, "I'll go with you Seto."

I sighed and said, "Alright..."

Ed looked at Al and said, "Stay near Yugi. He knows this place better than we do."

He nodded and said, "Alright Brother."

Ed and I began walking down the streets until we came across, my manor. E

d looked at it and said, "You lived here?!"

I nodded and said, "Like I said, I own a multi-million dollar company."

We walked in the gates and around the back.

In the back there was a garden where a lone grave sat, that read;

* * *

_Mokubia Kaiba _

_2002-2014_

_Loving Brother and Friend_

_Gone, But Never __Forgotten_

_"Stand Strong and Keep Moving Forward."_

* * *

I said softly, "It's been a long time, little brother..."

Ed sighed and said, "Your brother is quite amazing. He's save my ass too many times to count."

I placed my hand on the tombstone and said, "I'm sorry for what I did... I should have left it be..."

I felt the tears well up.

"I-I should have let y-you rest is peace." I said while sobbing.

I saw the tears land on the tombstone.

Ed placed his hand on my back and said, "This was always hard for me too..."

I turned around and looked at my un-used house.

I wiped my face dry and said, "I need to get somethings before we leave."

I picked a Rose from one of the bushes and set it on the grave, before leaving for the manor.

As we enter the building, the foul stench hit us.

Ed said with a hack, "God...What is that?!"

I looked at the doors of my study and said, "I think I know..."

Ed looked at the door and said, "That's where you tried it..."

I nodded and said, "That thing must still be in there..."

I grabbed a curtain and transmuted it into face coverings.

I tossed one to Ed and said, "Unfortunately, what we need is in there."

Ed groaned and said, "At least we are protected from the smell."

We tied the mask on tight making sure no smell could penetrate it.

We walked up to the hand carved doors, and I transmuted the lock open.

When I opened the door... I saw it...

There in the center of the floor laid my sin...

I was nothing more than a rotting corpse sitting in a caked on layers of dried blood.

I whispered out, "My god... what have I done..."

Ed placed a hand on my shoulder and said, "Once we get what you need, we shouldn't leave this place standing..."

I gasped for a breath and said, "As much as I would like to keep this place... I know your right..."

I took a deep breath and said, "We'll bust the gas pipes when we leave and have Mustang catch it un-fire from a distance..."

I walked in the room grabbed three objects: my deck, a few alchemy tomes that they left, and the only picture of my original family, which now... I'm the only one left.

Ed looked at me and said, "This place must bring back bad memories."

I nodded and said, "Yes... It does..."

Ed and I walked out the door and closed it behind us.

Ed and I busted the gas pipes all over the house, letting it seep into the closed off house.

We ran out of the house making sure no gas escaped it.

I made sure we transmuted a box around Mokubia's tombstone, so it wouldn't get damaged.

We took off the mask and threw them away as we began walking down the blocks.

I found a phone booth and called the shop. "Kame Game Shop, how can I help you?"

I said, "Mr. Motou, can you put Mustang on?"

I heard a ruffle as the phone switched hands. "Silver Sword?"

I sighed and said, "I need a favor..."

* * *

We now stood on top of a building nearly seven blocks away from my old home as the sun began to set on the day.

Mustang and Wheeler walked on the roof.

Wheeler looked at me and asked, "You sure about this?"

I looked at my automail hand and said, "There is no turning back...not now, not ever."

Wheeler nodded and said, "Understood."

Mustang and Wheeler now stood at the very edge of the building, and they pulled on their gloves.

At the same moment, Wheeler and Mustang snapped their fingers.

I saw a small flame start up at the base of the house then... BOOM!

My manor was now in cased in flames, that burned hotter and hotter with a extra fuel we gave it.

We stood there and watched at the flames roared.

Soon the fire department arrived and tried to manage the scorching blaze.

They weren't trying to safe the building, it was to late for that. They were trying to prevent it from spreading to the neighboring areas.

Ed asked, "What will they do when they find it?"

Mustang said, "That explosion left nothing to find."

I let the tears fall down my face and said to myself, "Stand up and walk. Keep moving forward. You've got two good legs. So get up and use them. You're strong enough to make your own path."

Ed looked at me and said, "What are you stealing my lines now?"

I looked at the blaze and said, "Not stealing, reminding. You may not realize it Ed, but sometimes what you say is just what I need to hear."

Ed smirked and said, "Glad to hear it Seto."

The flames began to die down leaving the burning ashes of my former estate.

Ed said, "Come on, the others are waiting on us."

I nodded and pulled out my watch.

I gripped it in my palm and said, "Today...There is no turning back..."


	23. Confronting Truth

**Confronting Truth**

**YUGI MOTOU**

"Here we are."

I opened up the box showed Mustang the broken pieces of the Pyramid of Light.

He held a piece in his hand and said, "This is feels like a stone, but it's not. Strange."

I nodded and said, "There was a soul bound to this and he possessed dark powers due to that. When we broke the object his soul was released, but the energy remained. We used just a small piece of this for the exchange when we first traveled to Amestris."

Mustang nodded and asked, "So how many pieces are there?"

I quickly counted them out and said, "There's about 20 pieces. Looks like we can take some people back to Amestris with us."

Mustang nodded and said, "That maybe for the best. Your grandfather's fears might be alleviated, once he see's Central."

I nodded and said, "Then let's start preparations."

Mustang and I walked down stairs to see the majority of the group sitting in the living room.

I said, "We have enough for everyone to go, but on how we get back..."

Mai looked at me and said, "Listen Yug, I'm going, rather you like it or not."

Serentiny nodded and said, "Same goes for me."

Ishizu and Marik looked at each other and back at me, then said, "We're ever Yami goes, we go."

Nina smiled and said, "I'm going... with Big Bro...ther."

Duke and Bakura both said, "I'm in."

Grandpa smiled and said, "Your not going without me."

Pegasus nodded and said, "We're all going Yugi-boy, wither you like it or not."

Ed smirked and said, "Well then, you'll need to look like you belong there."

I nodded and said, "That means new clothes, different hair styles, and understanding of the place."

I looked at Winry, Tea, and Hawkeye and asked, "Why don't you two show Mai, Serenity, and Ishizu what to wear? We'll handle the guys."

Riza nodded and said, "Right away Sir."

The girls walked up stairs in a quick pace.

Ed looked at the guys and said, "Alright, first thing first, no jewelry. Guys in Amestris don't wear earring, or bracelets, necklaces are fine just, nothing flashy, or big."

Marik took off his earrings, bracelets, and his necklaces.

Duke took off his bracelets and his earring.

Mustang said, "Better, now clothing is dependent on age, and what they do."

Yami said, "Ryo, Marik, and Grandpa won't have to change. Their clothing is considered normal there."

Yami held up a small suitcase and said, "Luckily, I picked up some clothing in the shops yesterday."

He tossed Duke and Pegasus a set of new clothes for each of them.

After a moment, Duke now wore a dark red long sleeve shirt with a black vest and black slacks. He had also taken off his head band and used it for a tie.

Pegasus now wore: a tan slacks, a white button up shirt with a brown tie, a dark brown vest, and a tan over coat.

I smirked and said, "Next, no weird hair colors. It's all natural tones, blonde, black, brown, some times white if your old enough."

Marik and Bakura were the only guys with weird colors.

Mustang said, "We better darken your hair quite a bit, Marik. We don't want you being mistaken for a Ishvalen."

I nodded and said, "Yeah, that would be bad..."

Marik held up a piece of hair and said, "If it will help... I'll do it."

I nodded and said, "Ed, you get Bakura, I'll help Marik."

Ed reached into a bag and pulled out two bottles of dye. One black and one brown.

Ed tossed me the brown and said, "That should blend in nicely."

I looked at Marik and said, "Hold this near the top of your head and what ever you do, don't move till I say it's okay."

He nodded and held up the bottle of dye as did Bakura.

Ed and I began transmuting at the same time. Within moments the bottles of dye were gone, Marik's hair was now a light brown color, and Bakura's hair was now as black as night.

Marik looked at his dark brown hair and said, "Whoa..."

I nodded and said, "How do you think I became a blonde. I transmuted the dye straight into your roots as well. Until I undo the transmutation, your hair will grow out brown. Same goes for you Ryo."

Bakura smiled and said, "That's no problem Yugi."

Then Kaiba said, "The last thing is long hair, you'll need to either put it up in a braid or ponytail, or cut it short."

Marik quickly pulled his hair back in a high ponytail.

Bakura looked at his hair and said, "I'll get it cut."

Ed nodded and transmuted a pair of scissors. He began cutting away at his hair.

Pegasus sat down and said, "I don't want to cut it but..."

He held his hand over his missing eye.

Kaiba tossed an eye-patch at him and said, "The Fuhrer wears an eye-patch, so don't be so dam ashamed of a missing eye."

He looked at Kaiba and said, "You've seen the countries leader?"

Kaiba laughed and said, "I've met him, on multiple accounts. We all actually met him when we took the state exams. He over saw them."

Pegasus begrudgingly puts on the eye patch and pulls his hair back into a ponytail.

Ed bushed his hands over Bakura's shoulders and said, "Alright your done, Ryo."

His hair was now quite short, and looked at lot like Havoc's haircut.

I smiled and said, "You all now look like Amestrains. You should have no trouble blending in."

Al looked at us and said, "You guys should change back into your clothes too."

We began putting out uniforms back on, while Kaiba and Ed put on their outfits.

Mustang walked over to Joey and said, "I think we can take this bandage off now Joesph."

Joey nodded and peeled off the large bandage. There now sat a large scar caving into his right shoulder.

Duke said, "Ouch..."

Joey smiled and said, "Didn't hurt as much as this..."

He held up his hand where he had carved the symbol which had been healing quite well.

As I finished putting on my overcoat, Kaiba had began to braid his hair.

Duke looked at Kaiba and asked, "Why the braid?"

As he tied it off he said, "My hair's thinner, it will come out of a ponytail fast during a fight. So Ed showed me how to braid it."

Ed smirked and said, "Plus, it looks pretty bad-ass!"

"Keep telling your self that small fry, it will come true one day."

Ed yelled, "WHO CALLED ME THAT?!"

I saw Mai standing on the stairs and she said, "Sorry, couldn't help it... It's too damn funny!"

The girls walked down the stairs in their new clothes ( except Winry.)

Riza and Tea were back in uniform, which had become quite normal for me.

Mai and Serenity wore similar outfits, both wore white kaprees and a colored tank top (Mai's is purple, Serenity's a light pink.)

Serenity had put her hair in a ponytail similar to Winry's.

Ishizu had gotten rid of almost all her jewelry except the millennium necklace.

She wore a pair of tan cargo pants and a skin tight white t-shirt. Her hair pulled back in a low hanging ponytail.

Ishizu looked at Marik and said, "You look quite strange Brother."

He smiled and said, "Not as strange as seeing you not wearing a dress."

Kaiba asked, "So where did you open it Yugi?"

I walked to the a door and said, "The basement. It should still be there if Grandpa didn't clean down there."

Grandpa said, "I didn't touch it, haven't been in the basement in months."

I opened the door and turned on the light. Sure enough it was still here, without a single smudge on it.

I looked at Mustang and said, "Grab the box and make sure everyone get's a piece."

He nodded and began handing out pieces as we made our way into the basement.

Mustang hand me a piece and said, "Your the last one."

I nodded and said, "Everyone keep a tight hold on your piece, whatever you do, don't lose it."

I placed mine in my coat pocket with my watch.

Ed and Kaiba stood at the foot of the circle.

Ed said, "Ask only for passage, nothing else, or you might come out with missing pieces."

The two activated the circle and the room filled with the blue alchemic light.

Duke looked over at Tristen and said, "This isn't so bad..."

The eye opened in the center and the black mist now covered the floor.

Tristen said, "You were saying..."

The arms began to come out and began grabbing on to us.

I watched at my body began deconstructing.

Marik yelled, "WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!"

Ed said quietly, "This is Truth..."

* * *

We now stood in front of Truth.

We weren't exasperated into individuals like he usually did, we all stood before him and behind sat a single gate, which shifted names every few seconds.

"Well, well, I didn't expect to see you foolish alchemist here so soon." Truth said with a smug laugh.

Mai looked at me and asked, "Who's the creepy guy?"

He laughed and said, "Who am I? One name you might have for me is the world, or you might call me the universe, or perhaps God, or perhaps the Truth. I am All, and I am One. So, of course, this also means that I am you."

He gave a creepy smile and said, "Come forth, and so I may take my payment."

We were brought up individually and they each gave him their piece.

Mustang looked at Ed and said, "This is the thing..."

Ed nodded and said, "He's the bastard, alright..."

Truth laughed and said, "Your quite testy alchemist...You'll never get your body back like that."

Bakura walked up and gave him his piece.

Truth grabbed his arm as he tried to walk away and said, "This is payment for one...not two..."

The millennium ring appeared on Ryo's chest. It shattered into pieces and Yami Bakura appeared with Truth holding his wrist.

He was identical to Ryo, except his hair was snow white.

Yami Bakura laughed and said, "Finally, I'm free of that fool. Now to claim my true power from the Pharaoh."

Truth laughed and said, "So it's power you seek... Then allow me to show you the Truth."

The door opened behind Yami Bakura, the eye opened and the shadowy arms dragged him in.

Moments later he reappeared in front of the door.

Yami Bakura looked at his hands and said, "This power... It's incredible... Let back in! I must see more!"

Truth shook his head and said, "Sorry, but you can't for you have already paid the toll."

He said, "Toll? What toll?"

Truth raised his right arm and said, "One for passage..."

Yami Bakura's arm deconstructed on to Truth.

Truth now held up his left arm and said, "And one for you sin, foolish alchemist..."

Once again another arm appeared on Truth, as Yami Bakura's disappeared.

He yelled, "My arms! What the hell did you do to me?!"

Truth laughed and said, "You learned in my gate of Equivalent Exchange. This is your exchange..."

He fell back completely horrified and said, "There gone... What have I done..."

Truth looked at me and said, "Only one remains, bring forth you payment alchemist."

I slowly approached the Truth and reached into my pocket.

I felt around for my piece only to find my watch and and small hole in my pocket...

Truth said, "Something missing? No matter, I can take my payment quite easily..."

He stood up and his left leg was beginning turning into flesh.

I looked down to see my own leg was disappearing.

He laughed and said, "Fools, this is the price of your sins."

Grandpa cried out, "YUGI!"

I felt the floor beginning to collapse around me.

Truth smiled and said, "Goodbye alchemist, enjoy your trip..."

* * *

"GOD THE PAIN! SOMEONE HELP ME!"

I opened my eyes to see Yami Bakura laying on the ground writhing in the pain, from his missing arms.

I looked at my own leg and saw the bloody mess from where it was.

It surged with pain as I moved toward Yami Bakura.

I said, "Bakura, calm down!"

He looked at me and said in a loud voice, "IT WASN'T A DREAM! HE TOOK THEM! MY ARMS! YOUR LEG!"

I slapped him and said, "Get a hold of yourself! If you don't want to die then listen to me..."

He stared completely shocked at me for what I just did.

I looked around and said, "Dam, we been separated, well at least I have a pretty good idea, where we are."

I looked at the village down below and said, "We're in Dublith, so that means... were near the Elric's teacher..."

I realized, it was getting harder to breathe.

I looked at Yami Bakura, who was looking quite pale.

I said, "We're bleeding out... We need help..."

"It appears so."

I looked behind me to see a boy with long black hair pulled back in a low hanging ponytail, and bright violet eyes.

He had scars covering the majority of his face and he had two automail hands.

I said with a pant, "Necro..."

He yelled out, "Teacher! I need help!"

I felt my head grow heavily as Izumi walked up the hill.

She gasped and said, "That's Yugi... My god, he needs a doctor... so does his friend..."

I said in almost a whisper, "We're...bleeding...too... much... stop... it... or"

I couldn't complete what I was saying.

I felt myself fall into to the darkness.

* * *

I woke up with a gasp and I felt my heart race.

"Yugi! Your alright!"

I turned my head to see I was in a hospital bed, Izumi and Necro was sitting on the edge of it.

I was wearing a hospital gown, my hair was out of my hair tie, and laid flat on my back and face.

More importantly, I was wearing a large bandage that covered my stub near my hip.

Izumi placed her hands on my shoulders and said, "Easy, Yugi. You lost a lot of blood, back in the forest. We got you and your friend to a hospital just in time."

I placed my hand down on the blanket and felt where my leg should have been.

"How long?" I asked quietly.

Her eyes widen and said softly, "You been out for nearly 2 weeks, your friend woke up about a week ago..."

"He was scared out of his mind, to see his arms were gone..."

Necro looked at me and said, "He didn't try to..."

I shook my head and said, "We got pulled through the gate to our world. We found a way to get pass Truth without losing limbs, but..."

"We lost our payment..."

"He saw the Truth and wanted to travel, so his price was doubled..."

Izumi looked at me and said, "By the way, he hasn't told me his name, mind informing me."

I can't call him Bakura anymore that would get confusing, same goes for Yami.

I looked up and said, "His name is Shiro.* Shiro Bakura."

Izumi nodded and said, "Well, the good news is we got an automail mechanic to come down and built you two some automail. He's actually Winry's mentor, a Mr. Garfield."

I smiled and said, "That's great..."

I looked at her and asked, "Any word from Ed?"

She nodded and said, "Ed, Al, Winry, Seto, a man named Pegasus, and your grandfather, ended up in Risembool, but they are on their way here as we speak."

"Mustang, Hawkeye, Joesph, Tristen, Tea, Serenity, Marik, and Mai ended up in Central, they said they were stuck there for a while."

"Then Yami, Nina, Ishizu, Ryo, and Duke ended up in Rush Valley and should be here very soon."

I sat back and said, "We were scattered to the winds, that's for certain."

"He's awake..."

I looked at the bed next to mine, where the newly named, Shiro sat.

He was shirtless and had bandages wrapping his entire top torso. His eyes seemed empty and hollow, like he lost all his will.

I asked, "Are you alright Shiro?"

He looked toward me and gave a slight nod, but never spoke a word.

I heard a knock at the door and Necro said, "I have a pretty good idea who that is."

He opened the door and a man in a purple t-shirt came in with a large case.

Behind him was Yami and Ryo.

Yami said with his eyes slightly watering, "Brother!"

I smiled and said, "I'm sorry I made you and grandpa worry..."

Yami said while wiping his eyes dry, "Don't be. We're just glad your alive Yugi."

Ryo walked over to Shiro and asked, "Are you alright...Brother?"

Shiro head popped up a bit when Ryo called him that.

Shiro replied with a soft voice, "I'm sorry...I'm sorry..."

A bit of tears rolled down his face.

Ryo placed his hand on what remained of his shoulder and said, "We make mistakes...it's alright..."

The man in purple walked up to me and said, "I'm Mr. Garfield. I have your leg and his arms ready. I'm prepped to install your ports at anytime."

"Now the question is, are you ready for this Mr. Motou?"

I nodded and said, "I'm ready."

He looked at the group and said, "You may want to step out for this. It's not going to be pleasant."

Izumi, Ryo, and Necro walked out of the room.

Yami looked at me and said, "I'm staying with my Brother, if that's alright."

Garfield nodded and said, "That's fine."

Garfield pulled up my blanket, revealing my missing leg from the hip down.

He pulled out the port attachment and began putting it into place.

Yami looked at me and said, "So you two woke up in Dublith."

I nodded and said, "Yeah, it wasn't an enjoyable experience."

I looked at him and asked, "So where's Nina, Ishizu, and Duke?"

Yami smirked and said, "Duke and Ishizu are keeping an eye on Little Sister, near an old house on the outskirts of Dublith. She been really worry about you Yugi. She even came up with a nickname for you."

I smirked and said, "Dare, I ask what it is?

" Yami smiled and said, "She was calling you Yu-Yu."

I gave a small laugh and said, "I wasn't expecting that..."

I felt a jolt of pain roll through my body.

I wanted to yell, but I held it in.

"That hurt... pretty badly..."

Garfield looked up and said, "I'm almost done installing the port, just hang in there."

I nodded and said, "You know, you told me this is the most painful thing you have ever done..."

"I beginning to see why..." I felt another sharp jolt that sent my body in a spasm.

I let out a small yell.

Yami grabbed my shoulders and said, "Brother, it all right..."

I nodded and said, "It felt like... a spark of electricity... running through my body... I couldn't control it..."

Garfield said, "Hyper sensitive nerves. In order to install it properly, we're going to have to strap you down."

I nodded and said, "Yeah, that's probably for the best."

Shiro looked over at me and asked in a quite voice, "How bad...does it... hurt..."

I said, "I'm not going to lie, it hurt's like hell, but if I want to keep going, I'll endure the pain."

Yami nodded and said, "There's no such thing as a painless lesson, but learn from those mistakes and move forward. That's what Ed always says."

Garfield had finished strapping my arms and leg down to the table and said, "Alright, one last port and we can start attaching the actual automail."

I nodded and took a deep breath.

"One. Two. THREE!"

I felt the most painful jolt yet. I couldn't hold my scream back that time, "AHHHHHHHHH! THIS HURTS SO BAD!"

The straps restrained me from my spasms.

I took a few deep breath and I said, "It's not over... I'm still going..."

Garfield pulled out an automail leg and set near the my freshly attached ports.

Yami sighed and said, "The first nerve attachment, the worst in my opinion. Ed and Kaiba, both say it gets worse over time."

I looked up and said, "You know, now were defiantly identical. Both of us have automail now. "

He nodded and said, "It's strange... I remember the days where we work as a team, against opponents, with our only weapons being our wits, and a deck of cards."

I nodded and said, "Yeah, it seems like a far of memory."

I felt even more powerful surge of pain hit me.

I held my breath so I wouldn't scream again.

Mr. Garfield pulled out a rag and wiped the blood of his hands.

"Well, were done. Wiggle your toes to start out."

I looked at the shiny metal foot and began wiggling the toes.

He smiled and said, "Now bend your knee slowly."

I slowly began bending my metal knee up and then back down.

"Your installment was a success. Remission is two months as you know, one of which you can't walk on it. I wouldn't recommend crutches unless, you absolutely have to."

I heard another knock at the door.

I said, "The door's open, come on in."

The door opened and Grandpa, Pegasus, and Kaiba came in.

Grandpa looked at me and my new automail leg.

His eyes brimmed with tears as he said, "I thought I lost you for good this time..."

I smiled and said, "You know me Grandpa, I'm too stubborn to go out like that, and I would never abandon you like that."

Grandpa walked up and hugged me and Yami both.

He said, "You boys are going to make me worry like there's no tomorrow if you keeping hurt like this."

Kaiba stepped up and asked, "So how was the surgery?"

Garfield replied, "It was fairly normal, except for the fact he has hyper sensitive nerves, we had to strap him down to stop the muscle spasms."

Kaiba nodded and said, "Winry told me that only 7% of the population has that. It's quite a rarity."

Mr. Garfield began moving his stuff over toward Shiro.

Mr. Garfield said, "I didn't catch your name Mr. ..."

He said quietly, "Shiro Bakura."

He nodded and said, "Are you ready for this Mr. Bakura?"

Shiro nodded and said, "It's just Shiro..."

Mr. Garfield looked at us and said, "Why don't you take Mr. Motou out of the room for a bit, Shiro's operation will take a longer time."

Yami nodded and pulled up a wheelchair.

Grandpa helped me out of the bed and I slowly sat into the wheelchair.

We all walked out of the room.

Pegasus looked back at the room and said, "Fairly clever name you came up with, but still his eyes..."

Grandpa nodded and said, "They were so lifeless... I've never seen anyone look so defeated in my life."

Kaiba gave a small laugh and said, "That's what you saw?"

"No. There was fire in those eyes."


	24. An Unlikely Encounter

**An Unlikely Encounter**

**EDWARD ELRIC**

"It's good to see you in better shape Yug." I said as Yugi wheeled up from the train staition in a wheelchair.

With him was Mr. Motou, Pegasus, Duke, Ishizu, Yami, Ryo, Seto, Necro, and Shiro, who looked around at the building in Rush Valley.

Huh? I wonder where's Nina at? Probably stayed in Dublith with Teacher.

Yugi smiled and said, "Thanks, but my leg still hurts like hell..."

He tapped his fist on his automail and said, "I felt every bump on the train ride and it sent shocks through my nerves."

Winry step up behind me and said, "Sounds like senative nerves. It will take a while, but they'll heal up nice and easy."

I looked at Bakura's douple ganger who they named, Shiro. Both his automail arms sat in slings as he walked.

Al looked at him and said, "Don't worry. My Brother had gotten two automail installments on the same day, too."

The Necro waved his hands and said, "Don't forget me! I had it done in the same day too!"

Duke leaned over to Kaiba and asked, "Um...Who's the kid and why does he look a lot like Mokubia?"

Kaiba smirked and said, "That's Necro, this universes version of Mokubia."

Duke yelled, "WHAT?!"

I nodded and said, "Yeah, Teacher has been keeping an eye on him while we deal with the homunculi."

Necro nodded and said, "I've actually was going to go see Winry in Rismbool, but then the we found Yugi and Shiro on the outskirts of Dublith..."

Winry head popped up as she asked, "Why were you going to see me?"

He pulled off his gloves the best he could, showing her his automail appendages.

He said, "I think something is jammed, to where I can only move my first three fingers on my right hand, and because of that I can't oil my left hand."

Winry nodded and said, "Quite a visous cycle. I have it fixed in no time."

Winry and Necro began walking away toward the shop.

She yelled, "We'll be at the shop if you need us!"

Seto smirked and said, "We better get moving before they start tackling us..."

Ishizu looked at him and asked, "Why would they tackle you?"

I pointed to my arm and said, "This is the holy ground of... A.U.T.O.M.A.I.L... They go nuts at the slightest metion of it."

We began to walk when a ground began forming.

I said, "Too late..."

The automail fantics began swarming me, Seto, Kaiba, Yami, Yugi, and Shiro.

The were practicly tearing at us to see our automail.

I yelled, "BACK OFF! WE WALKING HERE, NOT FOR DISPLAY!"

The crowd backed up and went about their business.

Pegasus looked at us and said, "I think I understand a bit more..."

Yugi nodded and said, "Geeze, I knew they like the stuff, but that's ridiculous."

Al was over in an alley knelt down before something.

Seto said, "Al, did you find another cat? You know Ed doesn't like them..."

Al said, "No but..."

He stepped aside to show a man who was past out on the side of the road.

Yami walked up to him and asked, "Hey, are you alright?"

The man laid still in the dirt and said, "So...very...hungry..."

We all practically fell down when he said that.

After a few minutes we were all at a restrant and the stanger was eating contently.

He was tall, with black hair, and quint eyes. He wore a yellow jacket with white trousers, and a tan belt that hanged from his waist.

He smiled and said, "Ooohoo! You guys are lifesavers! Thanks a lot! Your treat, right?"

I growled and said, "When did I say that I was paying?"

The stranger put his hands up and said, "Let's not quibble over something so small!"

I yelled, "Who're you calling small?!"

He smiled and said, "To think, I found such hospitality, so far from home!"

Yugi looked at him and said, "Far from home? You mean you're not from here?"

He nodded and said, "That's right, I came from Xing!"

Seto looked at him and said, "Oh, Xing, that's the... Country to the east of the desert?"

He nodded and said, "Yep, I walked through it, and let me tell you it was boiling!"

Al said, "But the roads are more efficient to travel through, why go through the desert?"

He smiled and said, "Because I wanted to see the ruins of Xerxes, The route goes by there."

I looked at him and asked, "So what brings you Amestris?"

He said with a smirk, "I'm looking for something. It's possible you two have heard of it before... The Philosopher's Stone. I'm very eager to find it. Do you know anything about it?"

We sat quite for a moment, until I said, "No... We can't help you."

The man sat back and said, "You wouldn't be lying to me, now would you?"

He snaps his fingers and and two people appear behind him armed with small knives.

He looked at me and asked, "So, do you have something to tell me?"

Seto asked solemnly, "Why the interest in the Philosopher's Stone?"

He smirked and said, "I want to achieve... Immortality!"

I stood up and said, "We have nothing to say..."

The two warriors charged at me and Seto, the younger one went after me, and the old man went after Seto.

I transmuted pillars up on to the roof so I wouldn't be fighting with innocent people in the way.

I turned my arm into a blade and began clashing it against his small knife.

I yelled, "Why the heck do you work, for that bum?!"

He got angry leaving an opening for me to strike his mask.

I said, "I want to see who I'm fighting!"

The mask fell to the ground revealing, he...was a she!

"A girl! I been fighting a girl!"

She threw at me what looked like a small cannon ball with a fuse.

It was burning gunpowder...

Dammit! It's a bomb!

I burrowed in as it detonated.

The smoke was still high.

I wasn't hurt, so now the best time to set a trap...

I quickly transmuted a snare.

Now for the bait...

Man, Winry's going to kill me.

I deconstructed my arm off and set it at the top of the pile, making it look like I was dead...

I hit behind a building and waited for the smoke to clear.

She walked up to my arm and said, "Oh no... I over did it... Master Ling is not going to be pleased..."

She pulled up my arm activating the trap. She was now tied up.

I walked out and said, "You know, I spent most of my time as a kid, catching rabbits, so I know how to bait someone out."

She growled in anger.

Seto walked over, holding his arm and said, "Winry is going to kill us..."

I nodded and said, "Yeah..."

* * *

We made our way back to the shop to see our group there (except Winry and Necro) along with the strange man.

I yelled, "What the hell are you doing here?!"

Al said, "Sorry Brother. He followed us..."

Seto yelled, "Your friends, busted up our arms..."

He said, "Sorry, they're a little over protective of me..."

He smiled and said, "The girl's name is Lan Fan, and the old man is her grandfather, Foo. They are charged with the duty of guarding me."

Duke asked, "So you shake down strangers for food, and yet you can somehow afford two personal attendants?"

He smirked and said, "Well, I am the emperor's son, after all."

Ishizu said with surprise, "Huh? Emperor's son?"

Pegasus said with a small snicker, "That makes you..."

Al and I said with a laugh, "A prince! Hehehehehehe!"

Nearly all of us was laughing, even Shiro gave out a small laugh.

The prince looked at us and said, "Not the reaction I anticipated."

Bakura smiled and said, "Sorry! We just didn't see that coming!"

I nodded and said, "Yeah, the guy who collapsed on the side road and then mooched food off us is the son of an Emperor!"

He sighed and said, "We'll I'm actually only one of his sons, by the way, I'm Ling Yao."

We all introduced ourselves, which mine involved hitting him with my detached automail hand.

He then said, "The Emperor, had a wife in each province. He has 15 daughters and 28 sons. In that order, I come in at 18th."

Al looked at him and said, "The line of succession must be hectic."

Ling nodded and said, "That's why I'm here, the Emperor has fallen ill, and said to give claim to the throne who ever finds the secret to immortality."

Yami nodded and said, "And that's why you want the stone."

He nodded and said, "Okay! The Philosopher's Stone... What information can you offer?"

I yelled, "Not happening! The Stone isn't a tool for some political game."

"Ed? Seto? Are you two back?"

Oh no! Winry!

She and Necro stepped into the room.

She took one look at me and Seto and she tossed two wrenches at our heads.

She yelled, "YOU IDIOTS! LOOK WHAT YOU DID TO MY AUTOMAIL!"

Seto pointed toward Ling and said, "Don't blame us, blame that guys guards!"

She yelled, "What guy?!"

I turned to see that Ling was gone.

I yelled, "COME BACK HERE YOU BASTARD!"

The Motou brothers sighed and said at the same time, "Same old Ed."

Seto looked at Necro and asked, "So how is your automail?"

Necro held up a peace sign and said, "Winry did an entire replacement, considering I grew."

Pegasus smiled and said, "Well you still have a lot of growing to do. Your still a little kid."

Now to me, those words are venom, but to Necro...

" WHO THE HELL YOU CALLING' A KID?! I'M FREAKING' 15 YEARS OLD!" He yelled, with a fury, unlike my own.

The kid maybe sort of like Seto in some aspects, but others he's a lot like me.

Pegasus sat back completely startled and said, "I'm sorry, I thought you were younger..."

He crossed his arms and said, "It's because of the other me, right?"

The Domino group nodded in agreement of what he said.

He looked up and said, "Funny, the time in your world runs slower than in ours. A year can go by here, and only two months would have past in your world. I'm 15 here, while the other version died at 12 years old. That's how old I was when I started living on the streets."

He looked at Seto and said, "Before I forget, I have something for you Seto..."

He got into a bag and pulled out a small box wrapped in dark blue paper wrapped with a black bow.

Necro smiled and said, "It is today, right?"

He picked up the box and said with a groan, "Yeah, it is."

Necro smiled and said, "Your definitely just like him. He hated his birthday too."

I looked at Seto and said, "Today's your birthday?"

He gave a slight nod and said, "Really, don't make a big deal out of it."

He began peeling off the paper and he opened the box.

Inside the box was a small dragon made completely out of steel.

Mr. Motou looked at it and said, "That's Blue Eyes..."

Necro looked up in confusion and said, "No this, comes from an old legend about Mt. Briggs. It was my brother's favorite. It tells about how the city used to be over run with a fierce evil, many tried to stop it, but they were killed in the process. Finally a woman with hair as white as snow and eyes blue as the sky, stood against the evil. She was a powerful alchemist, that made a chimera that carried every attribute of a dragon, except she bound her soul to it. She and the beast was mentally connected. She and her beast battled until the evil had been vanquished, and when it fell, it gravely injured the woman. The chimera broke it's seal and let the remembrances of her soul return, but along with it, the beast soul came with. Legend says that she now guards the chimera's final resting place, and will not leave until she meets a person with a will strong enough to bare her burden. That is the legend of the Dragon of Bura Aizu, guardian of the light."

I nodded and said, "I've heard that legend as well."

Seto nodded and said, "In our world, this a card for a game called Duel Monsters. It my favorite card to use."

Necro smiled and said,"Well let's get Ed and Seto fixed up, you guys have a train to catch in a few days."


	25. Those Who Rise and Those Who Fall

**Chapter 24: Those Who Rise and Those Who Fall**

**TEA ****GARDNER**

"You wanted to see us Colonel?" Joey asked as we approached Mustang's desk.

He nodded and said, "Yes Combustion, I did. I'm sorry we couldn't meet in my office though, it being remodeled for space."

He held out three letters and a box and placed them on the desk.

He handed the box to Joey and said, "This belongs to you Joseph."

Joey opened the box and inside was a set of medals and a thing of keys.

Mustang opened the letter and said, "As decreed by Fuhrer King Bradly, I promote Joesph Wheeler to the rank of Colonel for his work in saving the lives his comrades and commanding officer in action. With this rank he is given his own men, his own office in Central Command and shall work along side his mentor, Colonel Roy Mustang."

Mustang smirked and said, "Welcome to your temporary office Colonel Wheeler, I hope you like it until the transfer is finished."

We stood there completely surprised by this. Joey the most irresponsible person I have ever known is now in a position of responsibly.

Joey mumbled out, "This is amazing! I can't believe it!"

Mustang smiled and said, "Well Joesph, you've followed every order to the letter and the fact you help save the lives of three state alchemist, and two of your commanding officers helped as well."

Mustang looked at us and said, "Now, let's see what's in store for Iron Ivy and Static."

He opened up our letters and said, "It seems that you two have been placed in Colonel's forces and will be working a long side him."

Tristen smiled and said, "All right! We're moving up in the world!"

I nodded and said, "Ed and Kaiba are going to freak..."

Joey smiled and said, "They're going to have to show me some respect from now on!"

Mustang laughed and said, "Good luck with that Joesph. Edward has never shown me the least bit of respect since he joined at age 12."

Then I responded, "And Kaiba never has shown you respect before."

Joey smiled and said, "Well, a guy can dream."

Mustang nodded and said, "Indeed, now there one other matter we have to deal with Combustion."

Mustang pulled out a blood stained box filled with books and notes.

"These were hidden in the stock office where General Hughes was first injured in. He hid these rather well, so there must be something of importance in this box. I want you and you group to go through these notes and find out what he hid."

We all saluted and said, "Yes Sir!"

Mustang walked up to Joey and said, "Colonel you no longer have to salute me considering we of equal rank."

Joey looked at him and said, "But it's still proper greeting for my Teacher."

The Colonel smiled and said, "Well then, get to work Colonel. You've got a lot to do before the day's up, then we'll go celebrate."

Mustang walked out of the office and closed the door.

Joey looked in the box and said, "There seems to be only a majority of three things: books, notes, and assorted papers. We should divide and conquer on this. Tristen you take the notes, Tea you handed the papers, and I'll handle the books."

Tristen sighed and said, "This would go a lot faster if Ed and Al were here, but they won't be back here for another week or so."

I nodded and began gathering the paperwork.

I looked at Joey and said, "Well Colonel, I'm going to review this in the botanical house. I need to check on my experiments."

Tristen nodded and said, "I think I may do my research back at the hotel."

Joey nodded and said, "Alright, but don't let that paperwork out of your sight."

We both nodded and said, "Yes Sir."

He nodded and said, "Dismissed."

We quickly made our way out the door of his temporary office and went our separate ways.

* * *

"Dear God..." I whispered out as I stared at the map that Hughes had drawn on.

I had been sitting in the botanical house for nearly 5 hours when I finally came across something.

But I never expected anything like this...

The map had circled every place there had been a battle in Amestris where blood was split and it made a perfect transmutation circle.

For what I had no idea, but Joey and Mustang need to know what's going on. The government is up to something...

I stood up and heard the click of a gun at my head.

"Going somewhere?"

I turned around to see Tristen holding a gun at me.

I looked at him and said, "Who are you?"

He looked at me and said, "Tea, it's me Tristen. You know one of your best friends."

I shook my head and said, "I know my friends, and your not Tristen, besides you eyes are the wrong color."

He smiled and his voice changed, "Well, well, smart girl."

The man began to surge with red electricity turning him into a man with long black spiky hair and a ourobourus on his thigh.

I looked at him and said, "Homonculus right?"

He smiled and said, "Yes... You can call me Envy."

I looked at him and said, "Well Envy what are you going to do know?"

He smiled and said, "Well considering that if I shoot you, I could blame it all on The Static Alchemist..."

I laughed and said, "That won't work... We're teenagers in the military. We don't carry guns."

Envy laughed and said, "That right. Oh well, it just makes it more fun!"

He quickly dropped the gun and turned his hand into a knife.

He stabbed me in the stomach causing blood to drizzle from in my body.

He laughed and said, "Well, this is fun, but I don't want any surprises from you Ivy Girl, so I'll do this!"

He took his blade hand and sliced into my hand off. I screamed in agony as the blood seeped from my wrist.

He smiled and said, "You alchemy is useless without two hands but... You'll be useless with no hands!"

He cut my other hand off. I cried in pain as the blood seeped from where my hand use to be.

He grabbed my throat and said, "Your voice annoys me, just as much as the Pipsqueak's. So I'll just take that from you too!"

He dug his hands into my throat and pulled out a large piece of my flesh.

I tried to scream but, nothing came out.

Envy laughed and said, "Well... It seems I ripped out your vocal cords..."

I began to feel light headed and I stared up at the ceiling choking on my breath once in a while.

He looked at me and said, "Looks like I over did it... Oh well... We still have the others to sacrifice...Enjoy your suffering, while it last..."

He changed into a Tristen look alike and said, "Don't worry, I'll make sure you'll have some friends to joined in death soon enough."

He laughed and walked out of the botanical house, locking the door behind him.

I felt my body growing limp as my blood drained out of me.

This is it... This is how I'm going to die...

God, I never told Yami how I felt...

Three figures came from the shadows and looked down at me.

I couldn't make out their faces, but one said, "She's needs help..."

The other figure said, "She's a part the military..."

The other one responded, "Yeah, but the military guy that just left did this to her. She probably hate the military now."

I had most of my vocal chords ripped out, but somehow or another I was able to mutter out in a weak and pain filled voice, "..He..l..p...m..e..."

The male figure looked at me and said, "Will you abandon your country and it's god forsaken military, if we help you?"

I nodded and my body writhed with more pain.

The figures surrounded me and the darkness enveloped me.

* * *

I slowly opened my eyes and looked around.

I was in a tent lying on a cot.

My body was covered in bandages that covered my wounds.

"So your awake."

I turned my head and looked at the man who rescued me.

But what I didn't expect to see, was the man who hated State Alchemist more than anything...

Scar...

Scar looked at me and said, "What's your name girl?"

I opened my mouth to speak but nothing came out.

I went to put my hand on my throat only to see my hand was missing.

I began crying silent sobs at the sight of my missing hands.

Scar looked at me and said, "What is your name?!"

"She's mute, Mr. Scar."

I looked and saw a little girl in a pink outfit and little panda on her shoulder sitting over me.

Scar looked at her and said, "She spoke to us before she past out. Why can't she now?"

The girl pointed at my throat and said, "That man, he tore out the majority of her vocal cords and damaged the others severely. She nearly snapped them all in two when she cried out for help. She can no longer speak and since her hands are missing she can no longer write."

I looked at her and nodded.

Scar glared at me and said, "Give her a pen and paper. Put the pen in her mouth and will communicate that way."

The girl did as he asked and set a note pad on my lap and stuck a pen between my teeth.

Scar looked at me and asked, "What is your name?"

I couldn't give him my real name. He'd kill me on the spot.

I scribbled out, '_Ivy_.'

The writing was crude and sloppy,but it was readable.

He looked at me and said, "Ivy, why was that man trying to kill you?"

I wrote down, '_I know what he is and plans to do to this country and I was going to tell others._'

He looked at me and asked, "Are you a alchemist?"

The very question I was avoiding, but if he looked through my clothes, he probably found my watch.

I slowly wrote down, '_Yes, I am. I am a State Alchemist and I know who you are, Scar_.'

He looked at me and said with anger, "Give me one good reason, why I should let you live?!"

I slowly wrote down, '_I have people to protect. Lives to save. Ones I never told how I truly feel._'

I looked up at him and then went back to writing, '_Listen you can kill me, right here and now, or you can help me and in return I'll help you take down this corrupt government. I'm an alchemist and that goes against your beliefs, but in order to protect the innocent, you must be willing to do anything. As for my title... I abandoned it when you saved my life, just as promised. I am willing to do what ever it takes to save the ones and I love. I will do anything for them_.'

The girl looked at me and said, "And maybe, you can help me find the Philosopher's Stone!"

I stared in horror at the little girl and wrote, '_No! Don't go after the stone! It the Devil's work and should never be used!_'

The girl looked at me and asked, "Why not?"

I slowly wrote down, '_The main ingredient for the stone, is hundreds of human souls... I beg you child, don't seek it_.'

They sat quite for a few moments.

Scar looked at the girl and said, "May, tend to her wounds and make her look different. If she intends on traveling with us, she must not be recognized."

I quickly wrote down, '_Melt my watch for the silver and take me to an automailist. I can help more if I have hands_.'

Scar looked at me and said, "You shall have you wish, but remember you are no longer on the side of the law."

I scribbled out, '_Why do you think I said, melt the watch? I'm not keeping that damned thing any longer._'

Scar turned and said, "Ivy, you will be of great use to me."

He exited the tent and May looked at me.

She pulled out a few kunai and created at unfamiliar transmutation circle around my stomach.

She pressed down and my stomach began to heal up a bit more.

I wrote down, '_Are you an alchemist? I never seen alchemy like that_.'

She shook her head and said, "I'm not an alchemist. I do alchistory, which is common in my home Xing."

She's along way from home, that for certain.

I wrote, '_Doesn't your family miss you?_'

She nodded and said, "Yeah, but I'm doing this for them. If I can find the secret of immortality then I can save my family and bring honor to my name."

She looked at me and asked, "What about you? Do you have any family?"

I wrote, '_Not here, but I have the most amazing friends... They probably think I'm dead...' _

She looked at me and said, "It's probably for the best. That guy won't go after them if you never told them."

I wrote down, '_Yeah but... The man I love will think I'm dead.._.'

She sighed and said, "Oh, the affairs of the heart, but alas mine belongs to the one I've heard tell of. The man with golden hair and eyes, the legendary Edward Elric!"

I rolled my eyes. I never though Ed would have his own fan girl.

Ed...

Al...

Kaiba...

Yami...

I'm sorry, but for now I can't see you...

I wish I could but, Major Tea Gardner is dead...

Long live Ivy...


	26. Ashes to Ashes

**Chapter 25: Ashes to Ashes...**

**JOEY WHEELER**

"_Is there still no word from her_?" Teacher asked over the phone.

I replied, "None, I've sent some men out looking for her, but nothing has come back yet."

I heard Riza voice come on in the background and Teacher said, "_Hold on Joesph, I have visitor_."

I waited paceintly as Teacher talked to his guest.

A woman with blackish blue hair and a set of glasses walked in my door and said, "Colonel Wheeler, I have a case file for you and your squad to invesgate from headquarters."

I nodded and said, "Thank you Miss..."

She gave a smile and said, "2nd Lieutenant Sarah Coonts*. Your secretary Sir."

I nodded and said, "Thank you Lieutentant, you're dismissed."

She nodded and walked out the door saying, "Now, I'm suppose to go see Major Turner across town... I wish I could get there faster.**"

I looked at the folder tag that read, 'Homicide'.

Dammit, second day on the job and they're having me solve a murder. This is fucking ridiculous.

I picked up the phone and said, "Teacher are you back?"

He replied, "_Yeah, but I have a case I'll be working on for the majority of the day_."

I replied, "Let me guess, Homicide case that I just got."

Teacher sighed and said, "_Damn, they couldn't wait a few weeks before sending you to this_."

I sighed and said, "Like you said, no rest for a Dog of the Military."

I opened the case folder and began reading the report aloud;

* * *

_**Name: **Unknown_

_**Gender: **Unknown_

_**Cause of Death: **Excesive Bleeding from wrist and throat._

_**Time of Death: **Around 7 o' clock at night_

_**Place of Death: **Unknown_

_**Notes From Crime Scene: **There was no actaul body found, only a pair of severed hands, a large portion of a throat, and a large pool of blood were the only things recovered from the Botanical House floor. _

_Evidence shows that the victim, had her hands cut off with a military grade knife and had their throat carved out using it. _

_Then while the body was still living it was taken away, but due to the amount of blood found on the floor, it's believed that the victim bled out before they reached their destination._

_ The only hint at who this person is the hands._

_ The medical examener looked over them and said that they more than likely belong to a young woman almost in their twenties. _

_The left hand had a scar that went from the thumb to the index finger in a zig zag pattern._

_ On the right hand, we were able to recover a blood stained white bracelet that had the letters, J, T, Y, T, and Y, carved into the inside of it. _

_Investigation is still on going and no hints to the killer yet._

* * *

I sat back a bit and looked at the photos.

I gasped and said, "Teacher... I recognize the bracelet..."

He gasped and said, "_Then you know who this is_?"

I replied, "I think so, I just hope I'm wrong."

He sighed and said, "_I'll meet you at the morgue and we can see if it who you think it is_."

I nodded and said, "Sure, I'll be there."

I put the phone on the hook and walked out of my office.

Tristen looked at me as I walked by and asked, "Colonel, where are you going?"

I replied, "The morgue, Mustang wants me to see if I can ID a body."

Tristen shook his head and said, "I'll be up here if you need me."

I nodded and continued walking.

Best he doesn't see this...

Especially if it's who I think it is...

* * *

Dr. Knox pulled out a box and dumped the bracelets on the table.

I put on a set of gloves Knox gave me and studied the bracelts carefully.

I looked at the inside and saw the letters, so delicately carved in cursive.

The letters were more prominat as ever considering blood had seeped into it.

I looked down and said, "J,T,Y,T, and Y. To most people they're just letter carved in a bracelet, but to me..."

I took a deep breath and said, "They're names. Joey, Trisen, Yugi, Tea, and Yami. I seen this bracelt before..."

"Unfortunately it means I know who this is..."

Teacher looked at me and asked, "Who is Joseph?"

I replied softly, "These are Tea's bracelts. We gave her these for her birthday and she hasn't taken them off since... At that same party the knife from the cake cut into her hand making a small scar on her left hand."

I looked at Teacher and said, "Major Tea Gardner... That's the victim..."

Teacher placed his hand on my shoulder and said, "Joesph... I'm sorry for your loss... I know what it's like to lose a best friend... Especailly like that..."

I looked down and said, "How am I going to tell them? I can't do it... I can't make my sister cry..."

Teacher looked at me and said, "I'll do it, I couldn't expect you to do it, especailly after the loss you've just endured."

I wanted to cry...

Cry my eyes out over her, but I have to stay strong...

For my friends...

For my sister...

For Tea...

* * *

The funeral was the hardest part for me, knowing only a part of my friend was being buired in that box.

When I first became an state alchemist I made a single wish.

I wished that I never had to wear this black mititary outfit, but that wish isn't coming true.

We stood quietly as they lowered what remained of Tea into the ground.

Mai and Serenity cried into each other shoulder.

Marik stood there silently letting tears drizzle down his cheeks.

Teacher, Riza, Tristen, and I, were at the foot of the grave.

On the other side stood the Furher and his men, giving her a proper burial.

Hours past and the grave was now covered and most of the people had gone home, execpt for me and Mai.

I looked down at the gravestone that read;

* * *

_Brigadier General Tea Gardener_

_The Iron Ivy Alchemist_

_1901-1918_

_Strongest of Heroes, Bravest of Friends_

* * *

Mai looked at me and said, "Joey it's getting late. We should get back to the hotel, Serenity is worried about you as it is."

I replied, "Alchemists as a whole, we really are horrible creatures, aren't we? There's a side of me that's desperately trying to crack the theories of Human Transmutation right now. I think I understand what drove those boys when they tried to... bring back their mother."

Mai looked at me and pauses, trying to gauge me and asked, "Are you alright, Joey?"

I put on my cap and said, "Yeah, I'm fine... except... it's a terrible day for rain."

Mai looked up at the sky and said, "But... what do you mean? It's not raining."

Then she looks at me again.

I lifted my chin, and a tear spilled down my cheek as I said, "Yes it is."

Mai nodded and said, "Yeah, I guess it is..."

I looked at her and said, "Mai...I need to tell you something..."

She looked at me and said, "Sure... Go ahead..."

I looked down and said, "Remember me telling you about Lust and how she almost killed me?"

She nodded and I said, "Well, the only reason she didn't kill me or anyone else is... Teacher and I... Burned her over and over until her Philospher's Stone lost power and she... died..."

She looked at me and said, "Joey, I don't care what you did. You saved you friends and prevented that monster from killing more inoccent people. You will always be a hero in both the eyes of me and your sister. Never forget that."

I looked at her and said, "Thank you Mai... Thank you..."

I finally let more tears out...

All the pain and suffering she must have felt...

I hope she's resting peacefully now, but...

My pain will last for a long time, knowing that one of my best friends died and my other friends have no clue what has happened...

* * *

"Hey Joey!" I heard Yugi yell.

I turned around to see Yugi roll up in a wheelchair along side Yami.

Ed, Al, Kaiba, and Necro walked off the train with Ishizu, Pegasus, Winry, Mr. Motou, Bakura, Shiro, and Duke.

I smiled and said, "It's great to see that your recovering well, Yugi."

Kaiba looked at me and said, "What's with the medals Wheeler?"

I replied calmly, "While you were gone, I recived a promotion. I'm Colonel Wheeler now."

Kaiba and Ed yelled, "What?!"

I replied, "Relax, you two are still under Teacher's justiction. I have few men and alchemist under mine, but that's not important."

Yami looked at me and said, "Joey, you've matured quite a bit in the last two weeks."

I looked at him and said, "A lot has happened in thoses weeks, not all of it good."

Ryo looked around and said, "Hey where's Tristan and Tea? I figured they be here to pick us up with you."

I sighed and said, "Tristen is back at the hotel, with the others."

Yami looked at me and said, "And Tea..."

I replied, "Is at an undisclosed location at the moment. I can bring five of you there. The rest has to go to the hotel."

They desided among themselves that Ed, Al, Kaiba, Yugi, and Yami would go with me, and the rest would head to the hotel.

After a few waves of the hands they got into the car and I began driving down the road.

Ed, Kaiba, and Al talked in the back seat as Yugi and Yami quietly chatted in the front.

I not sure how they're going to take it...

Al's only fourteen, and Hughes death his him hard.

Then Yugi, Ed, and Kaiba, know Tea like best friends.

Then Yami...

She had feeling for him, although I'm not sure if it was mural, but the two were close.

Finally we pulled up to the lot of the cemetery.

Mustang and Hawkeye was waiting for us.

After everyone got out Mustang approached the small group.

Kaiba looked at him and asked, "What are we doing here Sir?"

Al nodded and said, "Yeah, I though we were going to see Tea."

Mustang sighed and said, "We are. She's waiting here for you."

Mustang and Hawkeye let us through the graves until we finally came to it.

Yami looked at him and said, "Well, where is she?"

Yugi mumbled out, "Ya-Yami... Look..."

He pointed at her gravestone.

The group stared in horror and sadness as they had just found out that she was here.

She was right here and she can never leave.

Al cried out, "No... Not Tea... What happened?!"

Mustang looked at them and said, "Your going to figure out sometime or another. She was murdered... We still have no idea who did it... I'm sorry for your loss..."

Yugi began weeping at the site of the grave and he cried, "No... She can't be dead... She can't..."

I replied, "I wished it wasn't true, but it is... They promoted her up two whole ranks like it suppose to bring comfort... but it doesn't..."

Yami remained fairly quiet, but tears drizzled down his face fast and hard.

He's not showing it, but this really hurt him.

Ed and Kaiba stared at the grave.

Ed mumbled out, "I'm sick of watching people die... And I can't just sit back and take it anymore... I won't let anyone else get killed... Not when I can protect them..."

Kaiba looked down at the grave and said, "I know we weren't the best of friends Tea, but still what happened to you wasn't right. I swear we'll find this guy Tea... I swear..."

A few tears silently drizzled down their cheaks as we sat there, mourning our friends loss.

Hawkeye looked at the stone and said, "Both Tea and Hughes died looking into the same thing. I hate to say it, but it sounds like there might be some kind of conspiracy going on here. But how does it all tie together?"

I nodded and said, "That's the big question. But Hughes and Tea... I'd say they deserves answers. Once I'm transferred into my office in Central Command... I'm gonna start shaking things up until I find some."

Kaiba looked at me and said, "Doesn't sound like you to mix your public and personal concerns."

Mustang replied, "There's no difference between the two. I will become the Fuhrer of this country AND I will take vengeance for Hughes and Tea. I'll do these things because I have to do them. I'm going after the senior staff. Are you two with me, Lieutenant? Colonel?"

I replied, "Do you even have to ask?"

* * *

_*I wonder who's name that is..._

_** Reference to my other story, The Mystic Sage Alchemist._


	27. Dust To Dust

**Chapter 26: Dust to Dust**

**YAMI YUGI/ YAMI MOTOU**

I still can't believe Tea is gone.

The girl who kept me going through my darkest times.

The girl who kept me company in the late hours of night when I couldn't sleep.

The girl who I cared for more than anything in the world is dead.

I can never tell her how I felt about her, how she was the most beautiful woman I have ever known.

In truth, I loved her...

I just wish I could have told her that...

I placed the bouquet of roses on her gravestone.

There was a lot of flowers there at that grave. Most everyone I know dropped some off and paid their respects to our departed friend.

It sad that I'm even considering about doing what Ed and Kaiba did, but I know that would never work.

This gloom just seems to have me buried and I can't dig myself out.

I started walking back to the hotel as night began to fall.

I paid no attention to those I passed by or the vehicles zooming down the streets, all I could do is drown in the sadness that consumed me.

I walked around a corner and ran into a boy.

I looked at him and said, "S-Sorry, I didn't see you there..."

He smiled and said, "It's alright Mister. Here take a paper on me. It's the least I can do for bumping into you."

I looked at the young boy as he handed me the paper and asked, "Why do you sell newspapers? You seem a bit young."

He sighed and said, "My dad died along time ago, my mom is really sick, and can't take care of me and my little sister. So I work odd jobs and try to keep us fed and keep us in a house."

I pulled out my checkbook and said, "Well then, what's your name young man?" He replied, "Nicholas... Nicholas Flammel*..."

I quickly wrote in the boy's name, handed him the check, and said, "Well Nicholas... Go feed your family and see if you can get your mother the care she needs."

He stared at the check in shock and said, "This is a lot of money! You don't need to..."

I pulled out my pocket watch and said, "I have a large research fund that I don't use that often and I can use what ever way I please. Please take it as a gift from an alchemist."

The boy looked at my name on the check and said, "The Crystal Blade Alchemist?! Thank you Sir, your too kind!"

I pet Nicholas on the head and said, " '_Be thou for the people_' that is the alchemist creed. Watch out for your family, alright Nicholas?"

He nodded and said, "Thank you Crystal Blade Sir!"

He ran down the alley way with a smile.

That boy reminds me a lot of Edward. He do anything for his family that's for certain.

I looked down at the paper and read the headline.

What?!

This can't be true!

I have to tell the others!

* * *

I ran into the hotel and saw Ed, Al, and Kaiba about to leave.

I yelled, "Guys! Did you read today's paper?!" They shook their heads and Ed said, "No, why?"

I tossed him the paper and said, "Read the headline out loud."

Kaiba held up the paper and read out, "Second Lieutenant Maria Ross and State Alchemist, Tristen Taylor, Accused of Murders of Generals Hughes and Gardner. Dichargement and Execution Scheduled for Tomorrow. "

Al looked up and said, "What?! They didn't even have a trail and they're going to kill them! This isn't right!"

Kaiba nodded and said, "Let's go see Mustang, maybe he can stop this madness."

"It maybe to late for that." I turned around and saw Major Armstrong behind us.

"Major? What's going on?" Al asked.

Armstrong replied, "There's a man hunt out on Major Tristen and Lieutenant Ross. Apparently they've escaped from prison and the orders are shoot to kill."

I looked at them and said, "We need to find them, before anyone else does."

Ed nodded and said, "Yeah, let's go!"

We began running through the alleyways for what seemed like hours, until we heard a surge of electricity.

"Did you hurt them?" A voice asked.

"No, I just overloaded their bio-electric system causing temporary paralysis. They'll be fine." Another voice said.

"Um.. Guys we're suppose to be running!" A third voice yelled.

Around the corner came Tristen, Ross, and Ling for some reason.

Ed yelled, "Ling?! What the hell are you doing here?!"

I looked at Tristen and said, "Guys! What's going on? Why you break out?"

Ling looked at them and said, "Go! You two get to the train station and get the hell out of here!"

Tristen looked at me and said, "Yami, this is a setup! We have to get away or will be killed at dawn."

Ross grabbed his wrist and said, "Come on Static, we have to move!"

They ran down the alley as fast as they could.

The MP's began running down the alleys.

Kaiba looked at me and Ed and said, "Al and I will keep the MP's off your trails. You go help them get out of here!"

We nodded and began running down the towards the train station.

I saw a large flash of light in the alley ahead.

What I saw next no one was prepared for...

On the ground sat two burnt corpses, with metal bracelet tags that are given to inmates.

They were burnt beyond regression, but it was easy to tell who they were.

Standing in front of the burnt bodies of Maria Ross and Tristen was Colonel Mustang, gloved hand and all.

He took of his gloves and said, "Fullmetal... Crystal Blade... I didn't see you there."

I stared in horror at the man and said, " Why, Colonel? Why was Hughes and Tea murdered? Why would Second Lieutenant Ross or Tristen...? Why didn't you say anything!?"

Ed grabbed Mustang and said, "Tell us you bastard! You owe us that much!"

Mustang slapped Ed to the ground and said, "Attacking a superior officer? You forget yourself Fullmetal."

Kaiba and Al ran down the alley and Al asked, "What happened?!"

I yelled, "He killed them... He killed Tristen and Ross..."

Mustang replied coldly, "Maria Ross and Tristen Taylor were fugitives. Our orders were 'shoot to kill.' So I did."

Kaiba yelled, "That's all you have to say?!"

He turned around and said, "You do not argue against orders... or ask for explanations. Just follow them."

Any sort of respect I had for that man, was now gone.

The Bastard Colonel... That's what Ed has always called him...

Now I see why...

* * *

Dr. Knox came out of the exam room and said, "The faces are too burnt to ID, but the dental records show that those bodies are Maria Ross and Tristen Taylor."

We all glared down not making eye contact with Mustang.

Knox turned to the Bastard Colonel and said, "It's an awful thing you did, turning a beauty like her and young man like him into a piles of charcoal. You must have had quite a grudge against them, didn't you, Colonel? Was the vengeance as sweet as you imagined it?"

Mustang crosses his arms and looks away.

Knox looked at him and said, "The famous hero of the Ishvalan War, going this far against a little girl and young boy. It makes me sick."

Mustang stood up and began walking toward the door.

When Major Armstrong stepped in front of him.

"Colonel..." Armstrong said with a growl.

Mustang looked at him and said, "Major you should take some time off. Maybe go out East to where the grass is green and the women are beautiful."

And with that Mustang left.

I muttered out, "What the hell is wrong with him?! He has never done anything like this before... Why the hell start now?!"

Kaiba shook his head and said, "Hughes was his best friend and he vowed vengeance on who ever killed him... I guess he was true to his word."

Ed punched the wall and said, "I'm never trusting that bastard again..."

"You may not trust him, but he's still your commanding officer." I turned around to see Joey standing behind me with a thing of files.

Ed looked at him and said, "What are you doing her Joey?"

He held up the folders and said, "They sent me to get the paperwork on the case."

Joey looked at Armstrong. He stuck his hand in to his pocket and clicked something twice.

He pulled out a note and said, "Oh, by the way Major. You received a call from your sister."

He handed him the note and said, "I wrote down the message for you, she very perceptual about her calls you know."

Joey stuck his hands back in his pocket and the clicking noise returned only three clicks this time.

He looked at me and said, "Yami you should probably go get your automail checked out... You seem to be limping..."

He waved and walked out of the room with out a word more.

Kaiba looked at Joey and said, "What was that about?"

Armstrong looked up from the note and said, "He was delivering a message. That's all."

We began walking and Armstrong turned to me and said, "Oh Yami. I almost forgot, here the money I borrowed earlier."

He handed me a few bills and the note tucked in between them.

I nodded and said, "Thank you Major. I had almost forgotten."

I opened up my bill fold and put the money in while sticking the note where I could read it.

It read;

* * *

_Armstrong, Yami, Ed, Kaiba, Serenity, and Duke. _

_It of the greatest importance that you six get on the next train for Resmebool and make sure everyone thinks your only going there for maintenance on automail and a visit to relatives. _

_There a lot going on you don't know about but here's what I can tell you. Your being watched and there only a few ways we can avoid it. _

_Once this note has been read by Armstrong and Yami, destroy it and inform the others while on the train of where you are actually going. _

_Bring cool clothes and plenty of water, you'll be traveling to the ruins of Xerxes, and that's in the middle of a desert. _

_This is a direct order from myself._

_Signed,_

_Colonel Joesph Wheeler_

* * *

I took the paper in hand and crumpled it up.

As we walked into the car and tore it up and placed the shreds in the street.

Ed looked at me and asked, "Any clue why Joey acted so weird?"

I replied, "All I know is that we're being watched and Joey was trying to tell us something no one else needed to know."

Armstrong nodded from the driver's seat and said, "Alphonse, you need to walk up the stairs get Ms. Serenity and Mr. Devlin down here. Tell them that family members are here for a visit in Resembool and we'll be take them there."

Al nodded and asked, "What about me?"

I replied, "You need to stay here and make sure the others don't get lost or into trouble."

Al nodded and got out of the vehicle.

Moment's later Serenity and Duke climbed into the car with two small bags.

Serenity and Duke sat there quietly as we rode in the car.

They knew Tristen better than most people, it be understandable that they feel the most from his loss.

We made our way on the train and took our seats in a private car.

Kaiba looked at me and said, "We're alone now, so spill what you've been hiding."

I looked at Kaiba and said, "You've always have had this six sense when it came to people keeping secrets."

Armstrong nodded and said, "We'll get off the train at Resembool and from there we'll make our way to Xerxes."

Duke looked at me and asked, "What's Xerxes?"

I replied, "Not what. Where. Xerxes is a ancient city."

Ed nodded and said, "The celestial stone that destroyed the city of Xerxes in one night."

Serenity looked at me and asked, "Why are we going there?"

I shook my head and said, "Joey said we get more Intel once we get there."

Ed growled and said, "Well this is going to be fun."

* * *

_*Nicholas Flammel invented alchemy._

**Please Review!**


	28. A NOTE FROM SHADOW OF EYES

**A NOTE FROM THE COMPUTER DESK TOP OF SHADOW OF EYES**

**(YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! 0.0)**

* * *

Dear Loyal Readers of this Fan Fiction story,

Alright Folks... I am seriously stuck here...

My brain is trapped in a very serious case of writers block and I'm trying to resolve it as soon as possible.

Now I'd like to hear your opinions on the story so far and be honest about it, I won't take it personally, just don't cuss me out.

The more reviews I get, the closer to reading the next chapter you get.

**Edward Elric: **It's Equivalent Exchange!

**Seto Kaiba: **Shut it shrimp and let her talk!

**Edward Elric: **WHO THE HELL YOU CALLING SO SMALL A FLY COULD SWAT AWAY?!

**Max Ride: **Calm down Ed! No one said that!

**Harry Potter: **He's just trying to prove a point Kaiba. What's wrong with that?

**Seto Kaiba: **He's being a smart ass like that one kid... Always saying he right about everything... Smart Ass...

**Dib Membrane: **I AM NOT A SMART ASS KAIBA! IN ANY CASE I'M...

**Naomi Nakashima: **He's talking about Zim or maybe Blossom... I not sure but I know it's not you Dib

**Dib Membrane: **O-O... Sorry...

**Yugi Motou: **Yeah it's alright Dib, Kaiba does that all the time

**Sora: **Geeze can we get back on track please!

**Max Ride: **Uh... Yeah, we need to focus on what Shadow was saying...

**Kim Possible: **Right... So what was we talking about?

**Astral: **I believe we were talking about Ms. Shadow's writers block and how she might be elevated of it.

**Son Pan: **Right, and the only way to do that is...

**GIR: **TACOS!

**Zoey Redbird: **For the love of Nyx... No GIR, we're not talking about tacos...

**Bubbles: **Yeah, we're talking about reviews. The more reviews for the story the more chapters, she will get done...

**Edward Elric: **Thus, Equivalent Exchange.

**Seto Kaiba: **Seriously Ed... Get a new catch phrase...

**Sora: **Yeah I really don't get it...

**Eren Yeager: **I get it... It's a lot easier to understand than how in the story...

**Everyone: **NO SPOILERS ON UNFINISHED STORIES EREN!

**Me: **'Sigh' Like I said, Reviews help me write and keep these yahoos in check...

_(All characters tackle me to the ground and yell why they aren't yahoos)_

**Me: **Guys! I meant that in a good way! We're all yahoos and we should be proud of it!

_(The all share looks amount themselves and back off of me)_

**Me: **Thank you and don't forget...

**Everyone: **REVIEW!

**Red Sachiko:** Or the Review Monster will eat you in your sleep... Heheheh!

* * *

Signed,

**_SHADOW OF EYES_**

_(and the current stars of my fanfics which you should read as well!)_


	29. Life After Death

**Chapter 27: Life After Death **

**SETO KAIBA**

* * *

_A/N: Sorry it took so long... I had to rewrite everything from last chapter... Like stated in my previous chapters of almost all my stories... My computer is a idiot that will delete my entire story at times... Thus I have to rewrite entire plots..._  
_Signed,_  
**SHADOW OF EYES**

* * *

"I hate the desert..." Ed grumbled out as we rode horses through the hot sand.

I kind of had to agree with him, all this heat is calling my automail ports to burn and that hurts like hell even though we wore long sleeved and light colored clothes to keep the sun off us.

Fuery looked back and said, "Well we're almost there Fullmetal and then you, Silver Sword, and Crystal Blade, can cool down a bit."

Fuery was waiting for us in Resmbool to guide us through the desert.

He maybe the most sarcastic man I have ever met besides The Colonel Mutt.

Huh? That's a new one.

I like it... Wheeler is Colonel Mutt a genuine Dog of the Military.

Ha! That's just too perfect!

When finally arrived at Xerxes, Ed, Yami, and I, made a b-line for the fountain at the front gate.

Ed jumped right into the fountain, while Yami and I filled our canteens and poured the water near our ports sending a soothing relief throughout our bodies.

Yami sighed with relief and said, "Thank God... My freaking automail ports were burning my skin to the point where it might as well been cooking."

Duke walked over to us and said, "So that why you three were complaining about the heat... You were literally cooking out there."

I nodded and said, "Automail is metal and metal attracts heat. Our skin was literally baking under the heat and let me tell you it hurts like a mother fucker..."

Ed sighed with relief and said, "Just be glad you two don't have two things of automail like I do, it's double the heat and double the pain on my skin... Dammit why the hell are we out here in the first place?! Damn Colonel..."

"Well sorry it was such a pain to come out here then, but we figured you would like to see us before we left."

Wait... That voice...

It can't be...

I turned around to see Tristen and Maria Ross in white cloaks and hoods standing behind us with great big smiles on their faces.

We all sat there with looks of shock on our faces.

The people who I saw was suppose to be dead...

At Mustang's hand and...

Ed yelled with a great big grin, "Mustang is going to get his ass kicked for tricking us..."

I smiled and said, "That bastard trick us... and I couldn't be happier..."

Yami and Armstrong practically tackled them to the ground in a bear hug.

Ed looked at them and said, "But how..."

Tristen smirked and said, "Give the Colonels some credit. It was their idea in the first place."

Yami smiled and said, "Those two brilliant bastards... I going to punch them when I see them..."

I nodded and said, "Ditto..."

Ed smirked and said, "Let me throw in a kick into the mix too..."

Ross smiled and said, "Colonel Wheeler made an arrangement with Ling Yao, to break us out of the Central Prision, while the Colonel Mustang took care of fake our deaths."

"He made meat dummies that were close enough to a human anotmy that it when he burned it, it would look like two perfectly burned human corpses. That way no one who notice and they think we were dead."

Tristen smirked, "As for the dental records... Mustang knows the mortian who did the autopsy."

Fuery smirked and said, "No one goes looking for the dead, so they'll home free..."

The Major looked at them and asked, "But if you two are supposilty dead... Where will you go?"

"That's where I come in."

I turned an saw Old Man Fu sitting next to them.

Ed yelled, "HEY YOUR THAT BASTARD'S BODYGUARD!"

He sighed and said, "Master Ling instructed me to take these two across the desert to a safe location, while he explains to your friends what happened as well. It was the safest procedure the Colonels could come up with on the fly."

Serenity hugged on to Tristen and said, "I don't care! I'm just glad your alive... I don't want to watch my friends die... Not anymore!"

Duke smirked and said, "Yeah... I been to too many funerals for my taste..."

Ed nodded and said, "Don't worry, we'll find who really killed them and you'll be able to return to Amestris..."

Ross nodded and said, "We going to leave soon..."

I nodded and said, "So you have no choice.. You guys can't turn back."

Tristen replied, "Which means, all I can do is move forward, right?"

Duke looked at them and asked, "So where are you two going?"

Ross smiled and said, "Well.. I think that we're gonna give Xing a shot."

Ross looked at Yami and said, "Please deliver a message to the Colonels.. We need them to know how grateful we am for what they've done."

Tristen nodded and said, "If there's any way we can help them, tell them to send for us... We owe those two a great debt, and we are willing to put our lives on the line to repay it."

Yami nodded and said, "Goodbye... my friends... you will be deeply missed..."

Serenity sobbed on to Tristen's shoulder and said, "Tristen... come back to us..."

He nodded and said, "You can count on it."

Duke looked at him and said, "Do us all a favor Tristen... make it back alive, alright?"

Tristen smirked and said, "What else can you expect from the Static Alchemist."

Ross looked at me and Ed and said, "Goodbye, Edward... Seto... Take care of yourselves, okay?"

I replied, "We still owe you.. for slapping me and Ed, that is."

Ross smiled and said, "You two can get me next time."

Ed smiled and said, "Alright... next time then."

The two waved at us as they left on horse back into the blazing desert sands.

Duke looked at me and Ed and asked, "When did Ross slap you two?"

Ed smirked and said, "Right after the scar incendent, she slapped us and told we were stupid to take him on alone."

I then said, "We agreed we were acting like idiots and told her we pay her back for knocking some sense into us."

Armstrong looked around and said to us, "We'll be leaving in a few hours, why don't you go do a bit of research while your here."

Yami nodded and said, "Alright, Kaiba, Ed, and I will go further into the ruins. We'll all meet back at the fountain. Agreed?"

We all nodded and went our separate ways.

The three of us started walking through the ruined buildings when we came a cross an old stone mural.

Yami looked at it and said, "Is that..."

Ed nodded and said, "I thought so too."

I replied, "It's like that transmutation circle from the notes on the Philosopher's Stone. A two-headed dragon... And the sun."

Ed yelled, "Ah, dammit! Why does the top part have to be missing?!"

I heard footsteps come up behind us and Ed yelled, "Whadda ya want? I don't have any money, so you've-"

We turned around and saw a tan man with white hair and red eyes.

Ed whispered out, "You're an Ishvalen?!"

The man looked at us and said with a thick accent, "'Scuse me, young sirs..."

More Ishvalens came out of the shadows guns aimed at our heads.

The man then said, "I'm afraid that we're gonna have to take you hostage until your military returns our holy land to us."

One of them groaned and said, "They're not gonna return squat... Not over three kids."

The first man yelled back, "It was the death of a single child that triggered the entire Ishvalan civil war... So you really shouldn't doubt your significance in the eyes of history."

"That's enough of your shameful behavior."

They all parted and a old woman and a young man approched us.

The man said, "Madam Shan!"

Shan looked at them and said, "Look at you fools... Are you all trying to dishonor the name of Ishvala?"

The Boy next to her looked at them and said, "Look, they won't try to attack... Can you please just let them go now?"

The Ishvalens looked among themselves and put their rifles away.

I looked at Shan and the young man and said, "You stood up for us... I don't get it."

Yami looked at her and said, "I always heard that you guys hated Amestrians."

Shan looked at us and said, "Despite the atrocities your country has committed, I know that not all Amestrians are bad."

The boy nodded and pulled back his shirt revealing a large scar.

"Madam Shan and I were both injured during the civil war...But then we were saved by these two Amestrian doctors... To be honest... I do hate you... But the two of them saved me... And you deserve the same treatment."

Ed eyes widen and he said, "Wait a minute... You're not talking about the Rockbells, are you?"

I looked at Ed and said, "Winry's parents that died during the war? You mean..."

The boy looked at us and said, "Are you saying you were a friend of Dr. Rockbell?"

Yami nodded and said, "Uh... yeah. Their daughter made our automail."

Shan smiled and said, "They saved the lives of countless Ishvalens... All throughout the course of the entire war."

Ed smirked, "No kidding. They were like an aunt and uncle to me."

Shan looked down and said, "They refused to abandon their post... It didn't matter how much the fighting escalated."

Then Ed finally asked the question that had vexed me from the moment Winry told me of her parents.

"How did.. how did they die?"

Shan looked down and said, "They were killed.. They were both murdered in cold it was by the hand of an Ishvalan they'd saved."

The three of us stood there in pure shock.

Why the hell would someone kill the people that save their life?!

Ed growled out, "But that's so..."

Shan cried out, "I'm so was nothing we could do to stop him."

I looked at them and said, "Tell me who did it!"

Shan weeped out, "His face was wrapped in bandages... But he was an Ishvalan monk and his right arm was tattooed..."

The three of us shared a look as we made the realization...

Scar... He did it... He killed Winry's parents!

That bastard was already on my list, but now he's moved closer to the top.

We were about to leave when Shan and the boy looked at us.

She smiled and asked, "Would you deliver a message to the resting place of the Rockbells for us?"

We all nodded and the boy said, "Give them our thanks... and our apologies."

We nodded and made our way out of the ruins of Xerxes and toward the steaming desert once more.

* * *

"Hey Ed, you wanted to stop in Resembool before we headed back to Central right?" Duke asked as we walked into the green hills of small village.

Ed nodded and said, "Yeah... I think it's high time you guys met her..."

Serenity looked at Ed as his eyes had a bit of sorrow in them.

"Who are we meeting?"

I looked at her and said, "I think I know... We're going to see Ed's mother..."

Ed picked a small bouque of lilies that grew all over the country and made our way down the well traveled path.

We walked closly behind Ed as we entered the cemetery.

Then Ed stopped dead in his tracks as a man stood in front of Trisha Elric's grave with a thing of roses.

He had golden locks of hair that flowed behind him, he turned around to show his golden eyes that melted into his pale skin.

Ed growled out, "Hohenheim..."

Yami and I stood back in shock of the man who stood before us.

Duke looked at me and asked, "Um... Who is that?"

I replied, "That is Ed and Al's father... The one that walked out on them and never came back..."

Hohenheim looked at Ed and said, "Hello, Edward.. You appear to have grown some. I spoke with Pinako. You tried human transmutation."

Ed yelled out. "What makes you think you can show up like this? There's nothing left for you here anymore!"

He nodded and said, "I noticed. Tell me, Edward. What possessed you to burn down my home?"

Ed looked down and said, "After what happened, we vowed to never turn back... We did it as a symbol of our resolve. Seto did the same at his home you bastard..."

Hohenheim looked at him and said, "No you didn't. You were hiding the memory. You didn't want to be reminded of what you've done... And thought you could erase the memory by destroying the evidence."

I yelled, "You're wrong!"

He looked at us and said, "It's just like a child who hides the sheets after he wets the bed. You two ran away... And you know it."

Ed yelled, "I... You don't know a damn thing about us! You make me sick to my stomach."

Ed put the lilies on the grave and lead us away, where I could faintly hear Hohenhiem as he said, "He's exactly like I was when I was his age."

* * *

"That bastard! Why the hell does he show up now?! After all these years of hell he put us through! Why now?!" Ed yelled as we sat in Ed's room a Pinako's house.

Yami shook his head and said, "I'm not sure, but I do agree with you... He left your mother... He had no right to be at that grave."

I snarled and said, "He acts so much like... He acts like freaking Gozabouro! He monster wearing a man's clothes..."

"Shh!" Ed whispered.

Then I heard voices coming from the room over.

"You know you put those boys through hell, right Hohenhiem? No father to take care of them, and their mother passing way... They had no one." Pinako said.

She apparently was chewing out Hohenheim for abandoning the boys.

Hohenhiem replied, "I understand his anger towards me... But he still commited a taboo..."

Pinako responded, "Those boys missed their mother so much they tried to bring her back and failed... They had to lose their mother twice..."

Then Hohenhiem said something that complete shocked me.

"Are you sure the thing they made was Trisha?"

What?!

He's implying... That they... We went through hell for nothing!

Pinako yelled, "Are you saying those boys went through all that pain and suffering for nothing! That what they made wasn't their mother?!"

Ed and I were shaking in shock...

What?! It can't be...

We failed but...

Yami looked at us and said, "He just said... Is that even true?!"

Ed replied, "Only one way to find out..."

Ed, Yami, Duke, Serenity, and I snuck out the back door and grabbed some shovels and a bucket.

The dark clouds rolled in and I felt a writhing pain roll through my stubs.

By the looks on Ed and Yami's face they could feel it too.

Serenity looked at us and asked, "Are you alright?"

Yami replied, "It's going to rain... bad storm... My leg is aching rather badly..."

Ed nodded and said, "My stubs start to ache when it rains as well... It's a common trait for people who have automail I guess..."

We finally made our way up the hill to the burned ashes of Ed's old house as the steady pitter patter of rain began.

Ed and I began digging in a spot as the rain progresses, and the pain increased.

Yami had to sit down because it was hurting him to stand up.

Ed and I were digging through the pain, Ed getting sick to his stomach time to time, getting more violet as the storm progressed.

Finally I couldn't hold it back any longer and emptyed the contents of my stomach as well.

Serenity yelled, "Ed! Kaiba!"

Duke looked at us and said, "Don't push yourself! Let's head on home."

I yelled, "No way in Hell are you making us leave until this is done!"

Ed yelled, "We're not gonna be able to move forward until we know for sure..."

I replied, "And besides... We won't run away from this."

Finally we found it... The remains of the transmutation.

Ed grabbed a lock of hair and placed it in the bucket of water rinsing the grime and mud off.

Ed's eyes widen and he said, "Guys... Mom's hair was a light chestnut color..."

He held up the lock of hair and said, "This is black."

We dug up more of the body and Yami looked them over. "Since Yugi and I shared a body for a while, I picked up some things in anatomy and physiology... This femur... It's much too long for the height of a woman. And this pelvis? I'm pretty sure it's male."

Ed looked at the remains and said, "It is?"

Yami looked at him and said, "I'm sorry... But I'm afraid this isn't your mother, Ed."

Ed looks up to the sky and gave a small laugh. "Then that's it... It really is impossible to bring the dead back to life..."

I looked down with a small smile and said, "The undeniable truth...It was impossible all along..."

Duke looked at us and said, "Edward... Kaiba... Now Listen to me...You two have gotta get a hold of yourselves."

I replied, "We're okay, Duke... It's okay."

Ed looked at his creation and said, "From the moment I made this thing, it's been the symbol of my despair... But not anymore... Now it's an emblem of hope. Al can be returned to normal."

I let the tears fall down my face with rain as I said, "I thought because I did something wrong with my circle I ended up watching my brother die again... But now I know... It wasn't him... I didn't fail... It was impossible to begin with..."

I looked at Ed and said, "Thank you Ed..."

He looked at me and asked, "What for Seto?"

I looked at him and said, "I didn't kill my brother... This prove it... I was filled with so much guilt... and now I know... It wasn't possible to begin with..."

Ed nodded and said, "The pain and torments we've endured from this... it faded away a bit, it will never really leave but... Some of it's been washed away..."


	30. Hope and Answers

**Chapter 28: Hope and Answers**

**EDWARD ELRIC**

* * *

"Man, it will be good to rest again." Duke said as got out of the car.

We finally made our way back to Central and we were walking into the hotel room.

Al, Yugi, Winry, Ryou, Shiro, and Necro were sitting in the room.

More impressively Yugi was no longer in the wheelchair and Shiro no longer wore the slings.

The month was up and they could start moving again although they seemed to be unmotivated to do so.

Yugi looked at us with a smile and said, "It's good to see you guys are back! Ling told us what happened, and let me tell you... Joey and Mustang has never received so many punches in the arm before."

Yami laughed and said, "Well they deserved it, tricking us like that."

Seto closed the door and said, "Alright Ed... The coast is clear."

I nodded and said, "Al... I've gotta tell you something... We dug up the body that we transmuted in Resembool."

Al gasped and said, "What?! Why would you do that?"

I looked down and said, "Because, Al... I found out that the thing we buried wasn't really our mother."

A dead silence rolled throughout the room.

Necro gawked at me and said, "But... Hold on a minute.. Then that means..."

Seto nodded and said, "The things we made... I don't know what, but it was something completely different."

Al looked at me and asked, "But if it wasn't, then what happened to me...?"

I looked at him and said, "That's just it... This has actually convinced me we can return you to normal."

A gasp rolled through the room and Yugi asked, "Ed, Are you sure?"

I nodded and said, "Yeah... But, before I start explaining how...Well... Uh, Winry... Do, um... Uh... Do you remember when Al and I got in a fight when we were kids about... who'd marry you?"

Everyone began snickering and Serenity said, "I think you face turned a new shade of red Ed."

I yelled, "Shut up!"

Seto looked at me and said, "The fight you two were talking about on the roof of the hospital?"

I nodded and said, "Yeah, that one. Al told me you turned him down."

She nodded and said, "Mm-hmm. Turned you both down."

I replied, "Whatever, so the question's for both of you then... What was your reasoning?"

Al then said, "She said..."

Then at the same time Al and Winry said, "I just don't like men who are shorter than me."

I yelled, "AHHHHH! YOU CAN'T JUDGE A MAN FOR SOMETHING HE CAN'T HELP!"

Everyone was cracking up in laughter.

Ryou looked at me and said, "As funny as your love life is Ed, I don't really see how this has anything to do with getting Al's body back."

I looked at Winry and said, "I had to be sure... Al had a memory of something I don't recall... And you seem to clearly remember it the same way, Winry... Which means that it happened without a doubt..."

Yami nodded and said, "So now that we know you remembered something real... then we also know for a fact...that really is Al bonded in there."

I looked at Al and said, "I pulled you out, Al. I actually did it. I know it was only your soul, but that's just it. If I was able to pull that much of you out... then I've got a hunch... that your body's still in there and I can pull it out."

Al jumped up and said, "You think my body's still in the portal... existing separately from my soul?"

I nodded and said, "Right! What did you see? Try to think back... Can you remember what happened when the Truth unraveled you?"

Al looked down for a moment thinking it over and said with excitement, "It was me! It was my hand I grabbed!"

I smiled and said, "I knew it! Doesn't look like we're done with the Truth yet, Al. We're gonna get in there and pull your body out!"

Al looked at me and said, "Brother! After the portal.. I remember looking at you from inside that thing. The thing we thought was Mom!"

Duke looked at him and said, "You were inside of it?! That thing was you?!"

Al nodded and said, "I guess so... But my soul didn't bind. It must have rejected me right away. So that means... We didn't harm anyone else's soul after all."

Then the phone began to ring.

Serenity picked it up and said, "Hello?"

She looked at me and said, "Ed it's your teacher."

Seto nodded and said, "You called her before we left Granny's?"

I nodded and said, "I had to double check and she's the only other person with... the means..."

I walked over to the phone and picked it up. "Hello?"

"_Edward.. I did as you asked..."_

I replied, "Yes Teacher..."

She softly said, "_Sig and I looked up our family lines... And well... The child that I transmuted... It couldn't...It didn't have a single physical trait that could have come from us. You're on to something, aren't you?"_

I replied softly, "Yes... I've come to the conclusion that death is permanent."

She sighed and said, "_So not even transmutation can change that fact_."

I responded, "All this time... I thought that I must have missed something... but it was impossible to do in the first place."

_"Ed!"_

I replied, "Yes, ma'am?!"

She sobbed out, "_Thank you_."

The line went dead and Necro asked, "So, what did Teacher have to say?"

I looked at the group and said, "Well I'm not really sure why... But she said... thank you."

Al looked at me and said, "This entire time I've been blaming myself for what happened. I thought it was me. I thought I was the one who killed Mom a second time."

I looked at him and said, "And so did I... Al."

He looked at me and said, "Thanks, Brother... Thank you... I wasn't the one who killed Mom after all!"

Necro nodded and said, "I didn't kill my brother... I didn't..."

Tears steamed down his face as he said, "Ed... Thank you..."

Then I began to understand it...

When we all failed...

We thought we killed them all over again...

But now that burden has been lifted off our shoulders, giving each of us a new hope...

I looked at Al and said, "None of this changes the fact that I'm the one who put you in that body... And I don't care what it takes... I'm gonna make you normal again-"

He looked at me and said, "Brother... I was right there with you and I knew that there were risks... so quit trying to shoulder all of this on your own. I can't watch you suffer like this. Not on your own.. I can't just stand back and watch other people get hurt over what I've done. Like what happened to Mr. Hughes! I felt like it was my fault when I found out he was dead... And I told myself that if it meant other people getting hurt, then I don't even want my body back."

I looked at my brother as he said, "Brother... I've met other people who weren't exactly human... but they still managed to live their lives with a purpose. And even in this body... It hasn't stopped other people from treating me like I'm still human. This body could reject me anytime... But it's the same with being human. You never know when you might get sick or die in an accident. So I can still get by like this... I can live a somewhat normal life... And that's how I've managed to keep going... But now... I can't take it anymore. Because... I can't... I can't take all the nights by myself! It's too lonely... And that's why I have to get back to normal."

I looked at him and said, "Sure... And you're going to."

Seto smirked and said, "We'll knock that Truth jerk on his butt and then we're gonna pull your body right outta that place! Alright Al?"

He nodded and said, "Yeah! But... I do have a question..."

I looked at him and said, "Sure go ahead." "What if I've started to rot?"

Al looked at his hands and said, "I doubt my body's getting any nutrients, or any sleep either. So even if we get it back from over there…!"

Shiro looked at him and said, "It might be completely rotted... Totally useless if we get it back in that state..."

Winry looked at me and asked, "Uh! Is he right Ed?"

I looked down and said, "Now, this is just a hypothesis, but I was thinking about the transmutation we did, and trying to retrace our process. Remember how we mixed our blood, to create a blueprint for mom's soul?"

He nodded and said, "Yeah…"

I replied, "Well, right after that we passed through the portal, where we were both deconstructed. It's a slim chance, but I think possible, our spirits got tangled up in the process."

Yami looked at me and said, "What are you saying…?"

I looked at Al and said, "I'm trying to explain that our bodies may be connected some how, even though I'm here, and your body is over there. See?"

I looked at them and said, "That might actually explain why I'm so s-… Sho-… Short!"

The room grew quiet and Yugi said, "He admitted it!"

Duke yelled, "He's starting to face reality!"

Ryou looked at his brother and said, "This is where I wish I had video camera."

Shiro nodded and said, "Now that was a once in a life time experience..."

Seto shook his head and said, "Never thought I see the day..."

I yelled, "SHUT THE HELL UP! IT'S NOT THAT BIG OF A DAMN DEAL!"

Yami laughed and said, "For anyone else it isn't, but you Ed... It's a freaking miracle!"

I growled out in anger...

They were never going to let this down, will they?

Winry looked at me and said, "So, you think you've been supplying all the nutrients for Al's body too? That seems a little far fetched."

I looked at her and said, "Well, what's your explanation?"

She glared at me and said, "You don't grow because you refuse to drink your milk."

I rolled my eyes and said, "Don't start with that again…"

She replied, "Well, it's true. You won't grow until you start drinking it. You have to!"

I yelled, "It's not going to happen! No!"

She yelled, "Fine stay a runt!"

I yelled, "I'm not a runt!"

She yelled back, "I could make you!"

I screamed, "Just try!"

* * *

Finally after awhile, Duke, Serenity, and Necro left to do some late night shopping, and Winry wanted to sleep in, leaving us alone and in private.

I then told them of the events that took place at Xerxes, and the discoveries we made.

Yugi looked at us and said, "So you're saying that Scar killed Winry's parents?"

Seto sighed and said, "I don't know for certain but that's the way it looks."

Al looked at me and said, "Poor Winry... Brother...! You weren't planning on telling her, were you?"

I looked at him and said, "Of course not, Al. I couldn't stand to be the one to make her cry again."

Al nodded and said, "Neither could I."

Seto stood up and said, "That bastard is still in Central, no doubt about it... But there's something more here..."

Yami nodded and said, "The Homonculii... We know for a fact that they are after us and more than likely killed Tea and Hughes... We're going to have to draw them out and capture at least one of them..."

Ryou nodded and said, "That sounds like a good plan, but from how you've described them, they are basically immortal..."

"Immortal you say?"

I turned to see Ling and Lan Fan sitting next to the window.

I yelled, "How the the hell did you get in here?!"

He smiled and said, "The window was open."

He looked at us and said, "Look we want to help you and besides, I kind of owe you..."

He held up a small receipt and I said, "Is this... For room service?"

I quickly read over the small receipt and gawked at the large prices...

I yelled, "YOU'RE DAMN RIGHT YOU OWE ME!"

Seto looked at it and asked, "How can you eat that much?!"

He rubbed his head with a cheesy smile and said, "That's a secret."

I yelled, "You a bottomless pit you know..."

The door busted open and Winry yelled, "WILL YOU GUYS SHUT UP?! D'ya know how early I have to wake up tomorrow?!"

I looked at her and said, "Oh! Right, I forgot! You're catching the early train to Rush Val-"

Then a mental image of Scar destroying my automail came to mind...

I looked at her and said, "Uhh. Y'know what? You should cancel that. Why don't you stick around and relax?"

She raised an eyebrow and said, "Huh?!"

Seto murmured out, "I mean it's just that... Y'know... Well... There's... always the chance our automail could get broken... or even... destroyed.."

** BANG! **

The room got spinney as my head readjusted from the wrench hit on my head.

As my vision restored, Seto was in the same state I'm in, while Winry yelled out while holding her bloody wrench, "ARE YOU TWO PLANNING ON DESTROYING IT?!"

Seto replied, "I'll answer you when the room stops spinning..."

Shiro whispered, "Damn... I never knew a wrench could be so terrifying..."

Yami sighed and said, "It usually isn't unless you're one of Winry's clients... Which since both Yugi and your automail is made by her mentor... You're technically her clients."

Winry looked at me and said, "I can't believe you two. Just promise you won't do anything too dangerous."

I nodded and Winry went back to her room.

Yugi looked at me and asked, "So what's the plan to lure out the homonculii?"

I replied, "Well... They don't want us getting hurt, right?"

I looked at them and said, "So let's draw out two birds with one stone."

Yami looked at me and said, "I think I know where you're going with that... So the question is how to we get Scar to come out?"

Shiro held his automail hands together and said, "He's after State alchemist right?"

I nodded and said, "Yeah and their are four in this room right now."

Ryou looked at us and said, "You can't be serious..."

Yugi stood up and said, "We're the live bait... Now all we need to do is lure him."

Al looked at me and said, "I have an idea..."

* * *

"Thank you kind alchemist for your help." A kindly old woman said as we fixed her crumbling house.

Yami and Yugi both bowed and Yugi said, "It was nothing for the famed twins of alchemy, Steadfast and Crystal Blade."

We had been parading around like that all day.

Fixing things, making things, and spreading our names far and wide.

Shiro was also helping out using his new alchemic abilities, while making sure his automail was well hidden beneath a black coat and white gloves.

This made the albino more noticed than before and the ladies of Central were taking notice.

After only two hours of helping out, we were the talk of the town.

Soon enough we'd have out prey.

We were walking down an alleyway when a car pulled up.

Mustang and Joey got out of the car and looked at us.

Mustang then asked, "So, what's with the showboating from you six? Do you want him to find all of you?"

Seto nodded and said, "Yeah, that's exactly what we want. We're going to fight him, and you two can't stop us."

Joey yelled, "Have you lost your minds?! Did you forget the way he tore Kaiba and Ed apart in East City? Not to mention all the people he's killed!"

I laughed and said, "Ooooh! Sounds like the Colonels' scared of big, bad Scar! I'm not surprised considering how useless you were against him, Mustang!"

He yelled, "That wasn't my fault! It was raining that day!"

Yugi and Yami sighed and both said, "Here we go again..."

I yelled, "Was it raining when you got beat up and sent to the hospital?! Ha! You're still useless!"

He yelled, "Shut your mouth, Fullme-!"

"Fullmetal, Silver Sword, Crystal Blade, Steadfast, Combustion and Flame... All gather together... God has smiled on us today, Ivy."

I turned to see Scar and a woman standing next to him.

The woman had short black hair with deep brown eyes that had ivy tattoos going down the sides of her face. A red scarf was tightly wrapped around her neck and face and went nicely with her black tank top and leather pants...

Then I noticed the automail and the scars...

She had two automail hands and series of long scars running up her arms all carved like vines...

Did she do that to herself?!

I yelled, "Who the hell is she?!"

She glared at me and moved her hand up and pointed to her ivy tattoo.

Scar then said, "This is Ivy, and as you can tell... She's mute and it's thanks to your accursed military!"

He raised his hand and she clapped her hands together

He yelled, "And we intent on getting out vengeance!"


	31. The Real Monsters

**Chapter 29: The Real Monsters**

**YUGI MOTOU**

* * *

"I guess he got your invite Fullmetal." Mustang said as Scar and the mysterious Ivy girl walked closer.

Kaiba looked at Joey and asked, "You okay Colonel Mutt? You'd think it was raining by how your forehead dripping."

Hawkeye pulled up her gun and I said, "Hold it! Don't shoot Lieutenant!"

She looked at us and said, "What?! You can be serious?!"

Yami looked at her and said, "We're trying out the Colonel's sport. We think we might be able to catch a few fish!"

Scar placed his hand on the ground and sent it flying up, while the girl clapped her hands and sent vines our way.

Another person who committed the taboo?! More or less she's an alchemist, so why hasn't Scar killed her yet?!

Ed, Kaiba, and Yami ran up to fight them, while Al, Shiro, and I created a thick wall protecting us.

Al looked at the Colonels' and Riza and said, "We're using ourselves as bait to lure out the Homonculli. We're too important to them, they can't afford to just let us die."

Joey looked at us and said, "That's crazy!"

I looked at them and said, "We're not going to let anyone else get hurt, using ourselves as bait was our only option."

Mustang glared at us and asked, "What are you going to do if Scar or this Ivy girl happens to get shot? The MPs might get here before the homoniculli."

Shiro looked at them and said, "But you two can stop that from happening, can't you?"

Mustang smirked and said, "So now I take orders from you? Is that it? You have a lot of nerve."

Joey looked at us and said, "You better plan on sharing what you catch."

We all three stood up and I said, "Of course!"

The three of us jumped into the battle, seeing that Ed and Kaiba was taking on Scar, and Yami was in a bind with Ivy...

Literally... Vines had him tied up.

Al ran off to aid his brother and Kaiba, while Shiro and I went to help my brother.

I created my bladed staff and cut through the vines freeing my brother, while Shiro sent a wave of stone arrows toward her. Ivy easily evaded them and began transmuting more vines toward us.

I also watched as Scar deconstructed the alchemy pillars that the other three alchemist had created.

"Hey get out of the way, so we can get a clear shot!"

I looked over to see two MPs with guns pointed at Scar.

Al yelled, "Don't shoot! You'll hit the others!"

Dammit! If they shoot Scar or Ivy it's all over! Come on you damn homonculli!

Scar sent up another wave of stone up towards us and a stone banged into my head, sending a stream of blood down my forehead.

He reached out for Shiro's arm and tried to deconstruct it, only to find the steel underneath. Shiro jumped away and said, "Sorry! Want to try again?!"

He clapped his hands and made a skeleton hand come from the ground and bind him.

Ivy then made a mass wave of ivy and got one on each of us. She quickly freed Scar while we cut ourselves free.

Scar's jacket was now completely torn showing the alchemic tattoo.

I whispered, "He has the tattoo."

Ed yelled, "The bastard! You were the one!"

One by one Scar began wreaking the buildings around us making the battlefield much bigger, and sent more debree towards us.

By the time the smoke cleared Kaiba, Ed, and Shiro's jackets were teared to ribbons, revealing the shiny automail underneath, and both Yami and my own pants had slices in it showing our own automail.

Scar looked at them and said, "A collective of automail... How fitting for your titles, Fullmetal and Silver Sword... You all seem to be missing limbs..."

Scar raised his hand and said, "Allow me to rid you of that metal Alchemist!"

Scar and Ivy came charging at us when I quickly transmuted a thick wall between us.

I yelled, "You'll have to better than that! You two forget that I'm the Steadfast Alchemist! My walls are the strongest there are!"

I watched as at the top of the wall Scar and Ivy came hurtling down.

"They maybe strong, but they can be climbed!" Scar yelled as he pulled out his arm again.

She must have made vines to climb the wall, but how come they didn't break?

Al yelled, "We need to get out of here now!"

One the MPs yelled, "Permission to fire?"

The other replied, "Not yet!"

He then replied as we ran past, "What the hell not?!"

Ivy then sent vines over there wrapping them up like they were presents.

We cornered them in a crossing giving him no where to go.

Dammit... I don't think we can keep this up much longer...

My stub is already starting to go numb with pain.

Al looked at him and said, "Scar, you say that you believe that alchemist have defied God, isn't that hypocritical? You use alchemy just like we do and so does Ivy!"

Wha?

Oh... Alphonse you genius!

Buying time till Ling sends off the flair.

Scar looked at him and said, "I explained it when we met in East City. It's balance, where they're are creators, there must be a destroyer and Ivy is destroyer just like me."

Kaiba yelled, "That's a lie and you know it Scar! You're using the name of your God to justify murder! Revenge is all the two of you care about!"

Yami yelled, "You used your God's name to murder a 6 year old child!"

That hit home for Yami a bit more, considering our version of Nina is still alive... But if he found her...

"So you all saw that abomination as well? So tell me, this is what you put your faith in?!"

Those words hit us hard...

"That thing was created because a man thought he could create, when it God alone who can create!"

Shiro looked at him and said, "Maybe you're right. But why did you have to kill her?! You stole what life she had left!"

Scar looked at us and said, "Foolish as you are, you people still must have known that chimera could never return to her human state. It would have lived out it's life as a laboratory specimen, treated as a test subject, but never again as a human being."

His words hit us even harder... Yami face was in the most shock...

If anyone outside of our group found her...

Dear God he's right... She would be experimented on...

Ed looked down and said, "I admit it, Alchemists have made mistakes. But that doesn't mean we will acknowledge what you are doing."

I heard the click of foot steps as Ed said, "Does being an servant of God justify taking the lives of doctors who devote themselves to the people? Scar! You're so self righteous but do you remember two Amestrian doctors named Rockbell?!"

Scar and Ivy looked at him in shock as Ed continued by saying, "The order went out to exterminate Ishval, but that didn't stop them, went on helping your people!"

Al looked to the alley and said, "Wait, Ed! Don't!"

Kaiba yelled, "Don't you remember them! Those doctors saved your life and you killed them!"

I looked to the alley and saw who was standing there.

I pointed and yelled, "Ed! Kaiba!"

The two looked at the alley and saw Winry there staring at Scar.

Ivy looked even more shocked when she saw her...

Like she had seen a ghost...

Winry looked at them and said, "What? What do you mean? Ed? Seto?"

Ed whispered, "Winry..."

She looked at Scar and said, "This man... he's the one... who killed my parents? He killed them? And what's worse... they helped save you... and you killed them..?"

She fell to her knees and cried out, "Why did you? They were my Mom and Dad... What did they ever do to you? They were doctors... they didn't deserve to die."

She broke into a sob and said, "Give them back! GIVE ME BACK MY MOM AND DAD, YOU MONSTER!"

Her hands fell to the ground and began to slowly slide toward the gun on the ground.

"Winry... Hold on?! You can't... Don't do this!" Ed said as calmly as he could.

She held the gun toward Scar aimed at his chest as the tears rolled down her face.

Scar looked at her and said, "This girl is the doctors' daughter? You have the right, shooting me would be justified. Just know, the moment you pull that trigger, there's no going back, you will be my enemy!"

We all looked at him and pulled up our alchemic defenses.

Kaiba yelled, "SCAR!"

Ed screamed out, "IF YOU THINK I'LL LET YOU HURT ONE HAIR ON HER HEAD-!"

He yelled, "You'll kill me?! That would be fine with me. Until at least one of us dies, this chain of hatred will continue. BUT REMEMBER THIS! IT WAS THE AMESTRIANS WHO FIRST PULLED THE TRIGGER IN THE WAR! IT WAS YOUR PEOPLE!"

Winry's grasp on the gun clinged tighter and I yelled, "Winry! Don't shoot!"

Yami then said, "Just put the gun down and get out of here!"

Scar looked at her and said, "If you can't shoot, then do as they told you. You're in my way!"

He sent up a spark of alchemy towards Ed and turned to Winry.

Ed then jumped in front of her stopping Scar dead in his tracks.

Al, Shiro, and Kaiba, sent attacks towards the two, knocking them out of the way.

The three started transmuting them down the path sending them away from Winry.

Ed looked at Winry and said, "Winry... Let go of the gun..."

She sobbed out, "I couldn't shoot..."

I looked at her and said, "I know you couldn't... It's ok..."

She looked at us and said with a face full of tears, "But that man. You said that he was the one who killed my mom and dad. He tried to kill you and everyone else, Ed, but I couldn't, why not?"

Ed held her hands and said, "Remember in Rush Valley you delivery that baby you save two lives, and you gave me an arm and a leg, Kaiba an new arm, and Yami an new leg to replaces the ones we lost. It's your hands, they weren't meant to kill, they're meant to give life. That's why."

She broke down into more sobs and hugged on to Ed and he did the best he could to comfort her.

He pulled off what remained of his coat and placed it on her shoulders as the MPs arrived.

I handed the gun to them and said, "Here officer, please take her some where she'll be safe."

They all saluted and said, "Yes Sir!"

Ed looked at her and said, "Winry... Al and the others are still fighting so we have to go now. Ok? I'm sorry... When this is over, we'll explain everything."

We all nodded and headed towards the path that Scar, Ivy, and the other alchemist left for us.

I watched from a distance as a giant stone hand tried to grab at Scar, only to be crushed by metal vines...

Wait... Metal vines... God of all the times to think about Tea...

We all entered a steam cloud as the two tried to escape.

Ed stopped Scar through a kick in the stomach, while Yami stopped Ivy by knocking her back and her scarf came flying off.

Once the steam cleared Ivy was in perfect view... And I could barely believe what I was seeing...

Her face... Her eyes... She looked just like Tea!

Besides the huge gaping hole in her neck, the tattoos, and her hair, she could be Tea's twin...

She glared at us and spread her automail fingers wide.

"~Oh! I found you Ishvalen!"

I looked up and saw a large fat man land behind the two, with his tongue sticking out, showing the ourobourus tattoo on his tongue.

Scar looked at him and said, "You again?"

Yami yelled, "Look at his tattoo!"

Kaiba nodded and said, "A homonculus!"

The fat homunculus jumped toward Scar and tried to bite at him only to have his face boiled.

Shiro looked at him and said, "This was the thing giving you so much trouble?"

Ed replied, "That's because it's not dead yet."

The homunculus began to regenerate quickly in red sparks and said, "But I want to eat you!"

He tried lunging at Scar but Ivy stepped in front of him.

He looked at her and said, "That smell... Aw... I can't eat you... But you're in front of my Ishvalen snack..."

Can't eat her? Why is that?

"~Oh! There are more sacrifices we can use too! Father doesn't have to know about you!"

Just as he was about to sink his teeth into her Yami and I sent him flying back with a kick. A

ll of a sudden Ling comes out of a man hole missing his yellow coat with his blade in his mouth.

He pulls out a grenade and shoves it into the homunculus.

He then yelled out, "Take cover!"

Everyone backed away as the fat homunculus blew up leaving blood and body parts everywhere.

Shiro yelled, "I understand a bit more now, why we need this many people!"

As he began to regenerate the parts dissolved into ash. Ling looked at us and said, "Get me some strong cable!"

I nodded and said, "On it!"

As I transmuted the cable he began to tie up the homunculus while saying, "Your own regenerative abilities, working against you! Your flesh won't stop expanding, it will keep you tied up nice and tight! You're mine now homunculus!"

Ivy and Scar looked at it and Ivy made some hand signals toward him.

He looked at her and said, "No, I didn't know that homunculli even existed, Ivy. This one just attacked me in East City after the fight with Fullmetal and Silver Sword."

I heard the screeching of tires come from a distance as two women drove up.

Both were blondes one had her hair down with a pair of glasses, a white coat, and a gun in hand, while the other woman had a black jacket, a pair of sunglasses, and her hair pulled up in a curly ponytail as she drived.

They screeched in as the armed blonde shot a bullet into the Ivy's arm and Scar's leg.

The woman then said, "Put him in! We're getting out of here!"

Then I studied the two women a bit closer and we seemed to all come to a realization.

It was Hawkeye and Mai! Joey and Mustang are good on their word.

Ling held up the homonculus and placed it in the car and jumped in after him.

Ed looked at them and said, "Hold on a sec! Lie..."

"Shh!" Mai said as she started the car again.

Al then yelled, "Wait! What's going on?!"

"Al! The MPs are watching, just pretend we don't know them." Kaiba whispered to us.

An officer from the MPs then said, "They're getting away! After them!"

Ed looked at us and said, "Mustang maybe a jerk and a creep, while Wheeler is a bit overconfident, but at least we can trust them. We have something to do!"

Then we went back to attacking Scar and Ivy.

Soon we had them on the ropes and Ed was about to send the final blow, when out of no where a girl came flying in!

She kicked Ed to the ground with basic martial arts and said, "Are these people giving you trouble, Mr. Scar and Ivy?"

She looked at us and yelled, "This is the man who saved my life and the woman who life he save as well. You better leave them alone, puny little boy!"

Ed yelled at the top of his lungs, "WHO ARE YOU CALLING PUNY?!"

A bunch of MPs surrounded the three and had guns aimed at them.

She looked at them all and said, "They've got us out numbered..."

She pulled out a bunch of knives from her sleeves... Who the heck is this kid?!

"It's time for us to retreat!"

She tossed the knives into the tanks of water and drew a transmutation circle on the ground with knives. She activated it and sent steam everywhere.

Yami coughed out, "What kind of alchemy was that?!"

I nodded and said, "She did it from that far away!"

Shiro yelled, "Dammit all to Hell! I can't see a thing!"

Ed yelled out, "SCAR!"

But it was all too obvious that he had gotten away.

* * *

"Hey look what I found Ed." Al said as we rode in a car.

He was holding up a small black and white cat, but it looked more like a baby panda to me.

Ed looked at him and said, "We are a little busy to be adopting panda bears right now Al!"

Al looked at him and said, "We couldn't just leave her there."

Ed then yelled, "First stray cats and now this! How many animals can you stuff into that armor huh?! Get rid of it!"

Al guarded and said, " What a heartless thing to say! Look how sweet and gentle she is."

Al giggled and told the small animal, "It's alright you're safe now."

The two brothers continued to argue as we made our way to MP headquarters.

Shiro looked at me and Kaiba and asked, "So do they argue like this a lot?"

Kaiba smirked and said, "No, not really. Ed doesn't like the fact that Al likes to pick up stray animals from time to time, ever since a cat he had practically mauled him."

We finally arrived and got out of the car.

Kaiba looked at us and said, "Ed, Al, and I will go check on Winry."

Yami nodded and said, "That's probably for the best."

They entered the building and we stood outside discussing the events that happened.

"So that the type of thing the Colonel and Joey fought against?" Shiro asked.

I nodded and said, "Well the one they fought was a different one, but basic idea. She nearly killed them and paralyzed Havoc in one foul swoop... But because of their flame alchemy, they were able to kill it and save the lives of all that were down there."

Shiro's eyes widen and said, "You're serious... Wheeler really killed it...?"

Yami nodded and said, "I wouldn't have believed it either but I witnessed it with my own eyes. Lust was going to kill everyone down there... If the Colonels' didn't do what they did, Kaiba, Hawkeye, Havoc, and myself would be dead right now."

"Why hello there Crystal Blade and Steadfast, fancy meeting you here."

I turned around to see Fuhrer King Bradly smiling at us.

Yami and I quickly saluted and said, "Fuhrer King Bradly Sir!"

He smiled and said, "At ease gentleman... Showing a friend around Central?"

I nodded and said, "Yes Sir. This is Shiro Bakura, he and his twin brother are visiting Central for the next few days."

He looked at him and said, "That's an odd hair color young man."

Shiro replied, "I'm albino Sir. I was born with white hair and red eyes."

Bradly smiled and said, "Well oddities aside you are a fine young man. Enjoy the rest of the day you three."

We all said, "Yes Sir! Thank you Sir!"

He got into his personal car and drove away.

20 minutes later Ed, Kaiba, and Al came walking out after us.

I looked at them and said, "You'll never guess who we ran into."

Kaiba crossed his arms and said, "If it's Fuhrer King Bradly, you'd lose that bet."

Yami looked at them and asked, "How did you..."

"He was talking with Winry..." Ed said quietly.

"Yo! Need a ride?" I turned around to see Joey driving a car in civillain clothing.

He nudged toward us and said, "Get in the car."

We all got in and Kaiba said, "I figured Mustang would have picked us up."

He looked at him from the rear view mirror and said, "He would have, but he had to get a doctor..."

"Doctor? Who got hurt?" I asked as Joey started the car.

He replied calmly, "That Lan Fan girl... She's missing an arm..."

* * *

"You let her wander around the sewers with arm cut off?! Don't blame me if she gets lock jaw." Knox said as he, Mai, and Riza continued working on Lan Fan in the other room.

"I'm afraid the only patients I've had lately has been corpses. So this might be a little rough."

I heard Lan Fan's muffled screams as he worked on her bleeding stub...

She cut off her own arm... Just to protect Ling...

She must have nerves of steel...

We sat in the other room with Ling and Kaiba said, "We're sor-"

"No don't apologize. I'm the one who suggested it remember? We both had something to gain out of it, so it made sense."

He tucked his legs in closer and said, "When I went in search of immortality... I knew I must be ready to make certain sacrifices. But I... I wasn't ready for this... Lan Fan was though. She made the decision that I was too weak to make."

Soon Knox was done and Lan Fan was all patched up.

I had seen enough injuries for one day... So I decided to sit in the hall with Ling and Shiro.

I could hear Ed and Kaiba talking to her about automail, when Mai came walking down the hall with Joey.

She looked at Ling and said, "Don't worry... You girl is alright... Tough as hell itself."

Joey looked at her and Shiro and said, "I want to thank you two as well... Technically you weren't involved in any..."

"Oh shut up Joey! We were ready and willing to help you guys."

Mai said as she pulled her hair out of the ponytail, "Listen, I'm heading back to the hotel. Any of you want to come?"

Shiro stood up and said, "Yeah... I need to check in with Ryou."

I waved my hand and said, "Thanks but we have some work to do here."

She smiled and said, "Well until then, try not to get killed okay?"

The two left and Mustang came down the hall. He looked at Ling and said, "We're with the state military. The name is Colonel Roy Mustang and this is Colonel Joesph Wheeler."

Ling bowed a bit and said, "And my name is Ling Yao, the 12th son of the Emperor of Xing. I am grateful to you two for finding a doctor."

Joey smiled and said, "It was no problem, thank you for helping us with the Tristen and Ross incident."

Mustang nodded and said, "And also..."

He shined the light on the homonculus and said, "For bringing this thing in."

A group surround the door of the room where the homonculus was being held. Knox peered in and asked, "Hey what do we have here?"

Ling looked at it and said, "That's Gluttony. He's a homonculus."

Yami nodded and said, "He and his friends seem to have some connections with the military senior staff."

"Just some you say! It goes far deeper than that!"

I looked at him and asked, "What do you mean Ling?"

He looked at us and said, "Your Fuhrer King Bradly, I believe it's possible he's a homonculus too."

That send a gasp throughout the room. "I saw his eye... The one under the patch, had an ourorbourus tattoo. He and Gluttony came after us and they were working together."

Kaiba looked at him and said, "The ruler of this nation is a homonculus?! Hate to say it but it makes sense..."

We all looked at him as said, "He has always kept a close eye on us all since our exams... Hospital visits, the patrol in the South, and today... He been watching us like a hawk..."

I growled and said, "He's right... The Fuhrer, of all people, isn't even human!"

"Whether he's monster or human, either way these new developments will make it easier to remove him from the seat of power."

Joey nodded and said, "First we get information out of this one..."

Then began and all out argument on who gets the homonculus, Ling for Xing, Mustang for the stone, and Ed to get their bodies back.

Finally I just said, "I'm heading outside... Colonel Wheeler and Mustang can talk to us out there..."

"Colonel Mustang... Colonel Wheeler... They killed Lust... They must pay for what they did to her!"

Gluttony stood up and screamed out, "ROY MUSTANG! JOESPH WHEELER!"

Then the center of his stomach spit open in the center and revealed and eye and teeth...

A blast came towards me and Kaiba and everything went dark...


	32. AUTHOR'S NOTE

Sorry but this story is on hold until further notice. thanks for reading!


	33. AUTHOR'S NOTE edited

Sorry but this story is on hold until further notice. thanks for reading and please continue telling me what you like and what you don't! It helps a huge amount. Anyway that about it... Until next time.

Ja Ne

~^W^~


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